By Roger Gitlin – EYE ON DEL NORTE – March 17, 2022
David Markel has filed papers to run for Dist.5 Board of Supervisors. Candidate Markel resides in the Bertch-Oceanview area of the County.
Candidate Markel is a retired Green Diamond mechanic and Bertch-Oceanview Fire Volunteer who helped build the Station on Humboldt Rd at Howland Hill.
Markel sits on the Water District Board of five which has given him valuable experience in working with others under the umbrella of local government and providing clean drinking water, associated infrastructure to the 2400+ residents in Bertch.
Core issues:
*Del Norte County needs healthy development, according to Markel.
* Candidate Markel acknowledges the
” terrible cellphone coverage
” and when he’s elected will work to improve this questionable service.
* Candidate Markel will work to have the many non-maintained County dirt roads graded regularly. He notes may of these dirt roads are near-impassble.
* Klamath and South County has no grocery market, Markel laments.
* Promote stronger ties with the Yurok Tribe. ” we’re all in this together.”
Markel opposed Measure R County Sales tax increase and pledged to continue to oppose this tax until and when he learns where the 13% increase in revenues is being directed. He continues,” …too many Del Norters purchase fuel and other products in tax-free Brookings.
Candidate Markel continues to express his disapointment with Harbor operations. Though positive change is beginning to show, past Harbor Commissioners have “…destroyed the Harbor.” Markel expressed his disappointment the County raised the Transient Occupancy Tax from 8% to10% then the BOS promptly gave the 2% increase to the Harbor. He supports a working Harbor serving the needs of fishermen.
* Markel supports more retail in District 5 and seeks more employment for teens and young adults.
* Candidate Markel applauds volunteers who strive to clean up blighted areas of the County.
Linda Harake , You were on the board of Bertsch Ocean View and you couldn’ t help the district out.. so you quit, Your ridiculous accusations are wrong .I made every meeting possible that I could and you’re a g****** liar.. I’m trying to help my district out and you are a quitter..because you couldnt handle helping the people in this district without making money off them ..you’re a little bit crazy ..You know nothing about broadband that’s going into Bertsch track And you know nothing about me David
Just so you know, Ms. Masten will not be able to resolve the telephone service as this is an issue for the entire Northwest Coast. As far as the Bertsch Ocean view water district, you are comparing apples to oranges. The water district is completely out of compliance with every law you can imagine, Markel sat on the board but was not president. Lastly, the Lighthouse Church where the meetings are held is filled with so much mold you need to wear a hazmat suit and air filtered mask to breathe. Getting appointed by a corrupt Governor does not indicate this person will be the all knowing all everything Supervisor, especially with the most recent $2.2 million dollar purchase of Steelhead hanging over her head.
Just so you know, Supervisor Matsen sat on the Communications Advisory Board to President Bill Clinton to bring Broadband access to all Native Tribes in the USA. The “Agencies” that can request funds in District 5 are the Yurok Tribe and BOVCSD. I explained it as “District 5 has two engines under the hood.” These two Agencies drive the economy of District 5. Funds are there but no one has asked for them since 1970 nor cared about quality of life or life at all. Die because you can’t call out? At least Klamath has had Sue Masten some of the time. After Covid closed her 60 seat restaurant and Lodge FOR YEARS she sold it to the Yurok Tribe. The Tribe wrote Grants to reopen it. Done. BRILLIANT. All the Trumpers here love that Trump knows how to get rich off the system.
Why can’t District 5 get rich, beautiful and Brilliant to end the generational poverty.
Life is hard in District 5 because of 5 decades without leadership. The Yurok Steelhead Lodge business is valuable to provide jobs, recreation, earnings for the Tribe, yes, and to the vendors everywhere that sell quality food and beverages, sheets, towels, cleaning products, etc., and services of painting, plumbing, gardening. Our Supervisor saved a business, a business owner (herself, one of us our neighbor in District 5). Everyone wins. Just because a person chooses to serve us neighbors doesn’t mean they are limited. Preparation meets opportunity. Fortunately she sold any conflict of interest before she was asked to represent District 5. Masten has fought for our people in District 5, fought for our culture, our fish, our livelihood. Sue Masten wants to hear everyone’s solutions. The “Agency” eligible for Grants we call Bertsch Ocean View Community Service District (BOVCSD) whose powers are to provide the DISTRICT with essential services has chosen to provide only water service to a portion of District 5. The BOD serves ex-officio (at the pleasure of the BOS). The BOS has allowed decades of neglect. 30+ decades of neglect from BOVBOD. The Bylaws give step by step instructions on the first order of business. I sat on this very BOD 1 year offering to set the BOD up to function properly as GM. I asked the Governor to send what my County needs from 2020 to 2021. I’m just one seed as others have asked, too. He appointed Susan Masten. I get goosebumps. Her appointment portends something monumental is about to happen. I’ve asked Supervisor Sue to enact the latent powers of the Community Service District to provide ALL services to every corner of our District TODAY over bananas. The number in my memory bank is 23 services Legislators empower Special Districts to provide us. Over tea and bananas I shared our District 5 homeless neighbors aren’t helped by hotels. Our homeless neighbors have trailers illegally parked they cant afford to register. Equality. I must register my vehicle, pay property taxes, I must dispose of trash properly. For our neighbors who can’t, Masten will be sure we have social workers get to them with individual help. She wants to hear your solutions, Ms Sutter. Her phone number is 707/951-2489. How can she meet our needs if we Don’t bring them to her attention? My phone number is 707/457-PRO8. BTW. Voter turnout was 30%. We need more neighbors like you who care enough to vote. Votes send messages.
Lots of word salad, but what is the point. The fact that you think Ms. Masten is wonderful, doesn’t necessarily mean she will make a good supervisor for District 5. In fact, her first effort was rather pale and disjointed. Scrambling to explain away her ineffectiveness as a business owner, by pointing to the pandemic is also not a good look. Thinking that she has been appointed by the governor will equip her with magic powers to change things in Klamath might be a bit of disappointment coming to you and your neighbors in the future. You have dressed Ms. Masten up in the robes of the almighty in which she has yet to earn any form of the accolades you think she merits. Many in District 5 don’t think she ever will be deserving of them, nor to continue as Supervisor past her current appointment. They in fact see her as nothing more than a place holder until November, and hope her stumbling around on the Board doesn’t make things worse than they already are.
For over 30 years D. Markle chose not to enact the latent powers of the CSD, bring essential services such as broadband which puts the lives of every resident and BOV visitor at risk that can’t make a phone call. In the year of 2019-2020 he barely came to meetings. A call to see if he could walk over to the meeting to make quorum he usually would oblige. Just say No to Markle. The newly Governor-Appointed Supervisor Susan Masten is the only chance for District 5 to become more valuable to the County, and the ONLY candidate in all the Districts to mention improving our quality of life.
It is pretty clear you do not know Ms. Masten as well as you think you do. Perhaps you should reserve your pandering for her cause until you expand your knowledge base a bit more than you have thus far. The first meeting in which she attended the BOS as the 5th district supervisor, it didn’t take long to see she doesn’t have much experience with how public meetings work. I understand as an appointee, she thinks that she must deliver quickly in order to bolster her chances at being elected, but her first meeting wasn’t pretty. She would be much smarter watching and listening for a few meetings to get the hang of things, rather than putting her foot in mouth right out of the gate. Her nattering in the first meeting has established her as expanding government at growing cost to the public for no benefit to that public. Not a good look. We already have plenty of that on the BOS.