The Trashman Cometh
Posted by Scott "The Piper" St. Clair - October 31, 2008Washington State Ferries is an easy target for trash talk - From a failure to build new boats despite the need and direction from the Legislature to unconscionable increases in pay and benefits, WSF behavior speaks for itself.
But now, the talk is literal: trash talk about trash.
KIRO TV, which is on top of a lot of governmental screw-ups these days, reports that WSF employees are taking recyclable materials and dumping them with the rest of the trash despite the public's conscientious efforts to separate them into clearly marked bins labeled bottles and cans, trash only, and newspapers.
The bins are scattered prominently throughout WSF vessels.
Yet, when it comes time to empty them, WSF employees dump all the stuff together and toss it into a trash compacter. And they do it with an attitude.
"Tell these reporters I'm not interested in their questions," snarked one WSF employee over her radio as KIRO reporter Chris Halsne politely but firmly asked her why she was dumping recyclables in with other trash. And so it went up the WSF supervisory food chain through and including one official expressing irritation that Halsne didn't have permission to film what clearly was employee misconduct in a public place.
You ain't alone, Chris. It seems that whenever someone tries to confront WSF, or its hand-wringing apologists in the Legislature, on an issue, challenge it justify a decision, or call into question something that happens, the response is too often either ignore the inquiry or attack the questioner. Been there, done that.
Per the KIRO report, public response to this latest WSF nonsense was uniform righteous indignation. Would that the same followed from other reports of misconduct or incompetence. Maybe if they were framed as environmental issues, then PNW folks might give them traction such that pressure would be put on the powers that be to genuinely reform WSF?
Or is that already happening? On its Daily Weekly blog, Seattle Weekly ferry follower, Chris Kornelis, proffered the theory that WSF policies on inhaling noxious fumes (no smoking on the boat, but feel free to breath in as much of the boat's stack-spewed exhaust fumes as you wish) were double-standard in nature and were the direct and proximate cause of a fire at Bremerton mayor Carey Bozeman's house.
Don't ask to have Kornelis' reasoning explained - you have to read it for yourself to see whether his tongue was planted firmly in his cheek.
Suffice to say, WSF can't seem to turn a corner without bumping into another case of shooting itself in the foot. If it wasn't costing taxpayers millions and millions and millions, it would be entertaining - like maybe serving as an episode of The Simpson's.
Homer calling the shots, Bart driving the boat, and Marge telling us all about it. D'oh!
The Piper
Thoughts? Add Comment -
SoccerMOM said on Oct 31 2008 at 12:11pm
I would pay the ferry tolls to see Bart driving the boat!