So… HB2315, the ‘Port Package Update’ bill,Β just passed in Olympia. Yay. π You won’t see any of us at the signing ceremony because… THERE ARE NO SIGNING CEREMONIES! Damn that COVID-19! Which means the selfies with our Governor will have to wait for another year. π
Now there’s this bit in The Ten Commandments where everyone finally gets to leave Egypt and then, they’re like, “OK. So, now what?” That’s exactly how we feel. Now the real work begins. We have tons of things to do getting the Port engaged to start work, communicate with homeowners and do things right.
OK, it’s probably not that dramatic. But one of the first things we’re doing is creating a new mailing list just for people who have contacted us about a Port Package. If you’re on the mailing list, you just received an email with a link to this here post. If you didn’t? Well… that’s a problem.
The Categories
But first: this new mailing list contains three categories of human beings who contacted us for various reasons about ‘Port Packages’
- You have a Port Package with a problem and we came out to evaluate it.
If you are in category #1 we are actively working with the Port to determine who/what/when. We get a lot of inquires like, “Am I really on your list?” Yes, you’re really on our list. - You have a Port Package with a problem and we never came out to look at it.
If you are in category #2, we have already asked, cajoled, wheedled and begged you to have us come out and look at your house and you haven’t responded. Or you half-responded and then gave up without scheduling an appointment. Please get off yer duff and do so. We were extremely nice the first two or three times but now we’re overwhelmed. If you don’t get with us, you will be subject to the Port’s outreach program. whenever that happens. Good luck with that. - You don’t have a Port Package but you may be eligible for one under the new program for a couple of different reasons.
If you are in category #3, you’re on this list so we can advocate for you. There are about 1,100 homes we’ve identified as possible candidates–either because they were part of the original 1996 inventory of homes that never got ‘done’ for one reason or another or because you’re in this complicated situation where you would have qualified for a Port Package at one point and then that darned DNL65 Boundary shrank and you no longer qualify. The Port Commissioners have given conditional approval to getting homes like yours done as well–but again, no promises. It all depends on money, time, good will, *positive vibes emanating from Alpha Centauri, etc.
(Technically speaking, there should also be a ‘Category 4’, people who want a Port Package but have no chance of getting one in the near future. At the present time, this includes people outside that original DNL65–roughly speaking south of 260th Street in Des Moines and North of 112th Street in Burien. In other words: all of you who were hopeful that HB1847 might get you a Port Package. It’s gonna take a while. But we’re working on it.)
Why the new list?
We will be using this list to keep you updated as to theΒ progress of the new Port Package program announced at the February 25th Port Commission Meeting.
There are two reasons we created the list:
- Because so many people write us asking, “What’s going on? When do I get new windoooooooooooows!” And so on.
- Because so many people write us asking, “When are you going to stop talking about Port Packages and get back to reducing the noise and pollution?” There seems to be this perception that we have stopped working on issues like the SAMP. Completely untrue. It’s just that there are only so many hours in the day to write about what we’re doing and the news recently has been mostly about Port Packages due to the new legislation.
We will not be adding names to this list willy nilly. You must be in one of these three categories in order to get updates. However, any updates will be posted on this site. The advantage to being on this list is that you will be automatically notified when there is news. And for those of you not interested in Port Packages, you’ll be spared all that ‘stuff’.
Now, if you are reading this and you did not get an email but feel like you belong in one of these categories? What’s the phrase that pays? Contact Us. When you do, please be sure to include your full name, complete address, the year your home was built, if you have a Port Package, your symptoms, etc.
*jk π