Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1960-03-18 Special Minutes - Valley Industrial CommissionVALLEY INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION MEETING RENTON MARCH 28, 1960 MEMBERS, DIRECTORS AND GUESTS PRESENT Phil Aspinwall E. E. Barnes H. B. Batchelder Joe R. Baxter Noel Bicknell R. M. Boyd Ed Cavanaugh Jack Denise John L. Fournier Andrew Gigli Denny Givens Wheeler Grey J. F. Grier A. F. Harn Ray E. Holmes G. F. Hopkins Don Humble Harold R. Iverson D. R. McAbee Wells McCurdy Stan D. Minkler W. P. Peters Don Redfern Mario A. Segale John B. Strander Jack C. Thompson Alex Thornton Paul Wieser VALLEY INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION The meeting of March 28, 1960 was called to order at 8 :00 p.m. at the Renton City Hall following a dinner at the Towne House. Chairman Sprenger reported for Jerry Shellan on the By -Laws which were to be mailed to the directors with the request that they study and return them to Jerry Shellan with any recommendations. The next meeting was set for April 25, 1960 in Auburn, Washington. Chairman Sprenger introduced Denny Givens of the Seattle Area Industrial Council, who in turn introduced Wheeler Grey, Bill Peters and Don Redfern also of the council. Mr. Givens gave a short historical summary of the council and set out its aims and purposes. Mr. Givens then introduced Ray Holmes and G. F. Hopkins of the Corps of Engineers and he gave a report on Howard Hanson Dam, its operation and effect on the valley area. It was pointed out that our problems were threefold, namely Flood Control, Land Drainage, and Planning, and that the first two could be handled by a coordinated effort on the part of the four cities. Mr. Holmes reported that the Army engineers, upon proper request, could go through the entire survey procedure. The membership was reminded of the drainage meeting being held at the Renton City Hall on March 30th at 2:00 p.m. and all were urged to attend. It was moved and seconded that the commission go on record favoring a survey of navigation and flood control of the lower river region. Respectfully submitted, Donald Bell, Jr. Secretary Members, directors and guests were present as per the attached register. diliMMADO S. S* tie mMMO Mr. Reid Hale Editor, Highline Times Dear Siri THE TOW OF TUKWILA TUKW LA, W °w ®P993 MTO March 18, 1960 LOOS 7. NIVIVIOP4 OL[11K- TI111LdtuACR This letter will confirm my statements in our telephone conversation this morning. First, allow me to say I certainly appreciate your interest in this problem of the South King County communities. without the assistance of newspapers like yours I'm afraid it would be Impossible for the people to obtain enough facts on a very serious situation that now confronts them. As you undoubtedly noticed the Seattle newspapers gave very thorough reporting on the Metro proposal while only briefly stating that a few organisations and Tukwila were opposed to their Plan. We stated our reasons for being in opposition and presented a Resolution to the Commission. Not one single statement was printed by either paper. I am enclosing a copy of this Resolution. Let me point out at the beginning that we are not a part of Metro. Metro, at the present time, is composed of the City of Seattle, the east side cities, all of Mercer Island, the unincorporated areas east of Lake Washington and also the City of Renton. These cities and unincorporated areas comprise what is known as the Lake Washington Drainage Basin. Their program through Metro is to rid Lake Washing- ton of pollution. This is a worthy undertaking and we certainly will .indorse their program provided they do their job completely and dis- perse all effluent by pipe line to deep salt water. We cannot con- done or support their plan to bring all of the raw sewage from this vast east side district to a Treatment Plant west of Renton where it will be treated and the effluent released into the Duwamish river at Black River Junction© The population in this Metro District is rapid ly growing and with this growth the Duwamish will ever become more polluted as this district expands. We oppose their program for the following reasons. First. The Green and Duwamish rivers constitute a separate drainage basin with its own serious drainage problems as well as a die* astrious flooding record. Our drainage basin starts far above the headwaters of the Green river and continues to the mouth of the Duwaaish in Elliott Bay. On either aide of the Valley we have many square miles of hills that send torrents of water to the Valley and river below. Our Valley has been p1 agued and rawl,ehed frr, the beginning of time by floods during the fall, winter aad @prim* eeasons. These conditions will be partially Alleviated with the ocepietion qf the Howard Hanson Dam in 1960. The Dam will impoulod tbe run-orr in the Waterdheds *t the headwetorm or the Ireen river. fit that tine voter will be releamed from the fl i at 12,000 Ibi(g feet per sosond(efs) thus putting to an end the extreme peaks of short duratin tt *awl* our flooding, The water mill than be releteed 0, a longer period of time, thus causing a full river flow ot lorzam duration. The 12 efs is computed at the City of Auburn. The Corps of U. Arty engineer's will asaume respnsibility to this ooint, beyca4 that it becomes a local problem. Our town is located same eitbteen miles below Auburn and during our recent floods snd tewitf valurp mp ro- eeived another 4,000 of between Aubwn awl Tuimila. Dvam walleye and hillsides are fest developing with ilAdustries end homes. Beery now street, parking lot And building wi;Ll further Add to our FAMAt 7un oftiry speeding the rain water to the river. During our low motor in the summer the river flow drops to between 80 and 120 cfs. The Metro 37stem plans to dump gs muth am 600 cfs of effluent into the river. During the summer months the river will be about *ix part fflueet to ore of 7gter, Second. Our people htve been taxed for many years and 76111 eontinue to be taxed to dike and pontrol the river. Uter ad**4 in stay quantity will necessarily metn raising our dikes, thus addiA4 to our local tax mere burden. It is unfair for another dreinage area to add to this problem and create additional cot for our pp1 e, Third. Our hillsides, where 1304.417 people have their home*, vill have the very air they breathe polluted b5 the dumping of tiiis amount of effluent into the rieer. Throughout the years our Children have spent many happy summer hours swimmla?: in this river. Th1 recreation will be destroyed. Fourth. It will become very difficult to establish industry along a river so thoroughly polluted. Fifth. As stated In the Hearing, by Mr. Don past president of Wathington State 5portsmon towci1 this pmErms got ie very short sighted economy And could very easily destruy the fiAh life in these rivers. The additional cost to Metre to teke the effluent by pipe line to deep salt water is eatimated at $114000,000 This, aeoording to Metro, will cost about $8.00 more per year for each *emir connection. Mr. Johnson pointed out that th nual return from the Oreen-Duwamish fish cateh, sports and commercial, no' exceed' 40 000,000 per year. One year kill of flab life from eontamenation eould exceed many ties the additional cost of iping effluent to atilt water in the beginning wt th metro pregrftm. Soso statements of Metro were not relead by the reporters. Many of their statements vere contracactoTT and all wore full of m ifsm r all of the Engineere and Attorn trit-d to point out that their system vas enginmorod to give total reter!tIon s.gai t *very pomaibla merges oy a ems •UO►h statement sac to the' effect tLst ii '4:o Treatment Plant should possibly have a failure tear* will be a huge reservoir take many thousands cf gallons of rah sue• The sill be fad baok into the Plant after it la restored to eptr*tion. This is a nesesearr precaution, but just think of the poor ***Pie &ad .iv w". a fee alas of this reservoir. tetra aiw stated tbat the offluent would be purLf iod to a dogrel* *hero it would beoomps t sef i c ial to the river and add. to Cho quality of the water. (aunt try to rows-ober the filth that are trying to survive In wat.er that at tines mil be six parts effluent). 1 asked shy this efa l cent could not be .tined to its natural basin, Lake /aehin,,ton at Moon, If th; affluent is •o beneficial. This question has not teens answered. Many ether amts we presented for cad against this Plan turint i he Roaring. I realise el oovid u be pnted b=it it does sees) t soma apace ihould :nave be devoted t4) one oppoeitins. The faets prssonted gore moo ed ttle Cosolsolon and a study of all facts is sos is progress. Tk_° ^ossaisaion, beaded by >ir. Burl Coe, held a very :air a n d t teal hearing and provided Apple time for •veryene. Anyone desiring to be heard on _bi.s oroblrIn stub. d aorb group and regn•st a Rsariug iu thie -i may. Thanks again for being in erected t our le sae p obie IIaless this elan of Metro is defeated is say very well set a _k o•dent in t rest of our State thus eventually dart Qyimg aii of our raters. Sincere1 f r ass 0, Baker Mayor, Tlarwl.1* P.S. You ar• at liberty to use an7 or ail of this letter and, or Resclutioa