Schmidt, Gainer wrong about Miller property
This letter is in response to Paul Schmidt's letter to the Cheney Free Press a few weeks ago. Schmidt's letter, “Miller settlement not a good deal for Cheney,” is simply an attempt to cover the city's wrongful actions condemning the Miller property.
Mr. Allan Gainer and Mr. Schmidt tried to obtain the property at the expense of the citizens of Cheney. Their first attempt was eminent domain. The city never made a reasonable offer and used a questionable appraisal that valued the property at $700 an acre. (A 60-by-80-foot lot goes for $35,000-$40,000.)
When that failed, they contacted the EPA and said that the property was contaminated and could cost up to $20 million to clean it up. This was a false claim since there was no data to support it. Their senseless, underhanded and unsuccessful effort costs the taxpayers more than $83,000. It costs me more than $13,000, not including my time and lost work. The cost to Mayor Gainer was zero.
Mr. Schmidt wrote that the process of “securing buffer” for the wastewater plant began in the early 1990s. The land has been in my family the whole time. Neither Schmidt nor anyone else has ever contacted us regarding the selling of our land to the city of Cheney for the wastewater buffer.
When Mr. Gainer was running for office, I gave him my full support. I put up campaign signs and verbally told everyone it was time for a change. The promises made were not kept at all, including the resignation of Mr. Schmidt.
Perhaps Mayor Gainer should join the former administrator by moving on for his careless waste of the city's tax dollars.
Barry Miller
Cheney
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Thanks to those who supported our daughter
We would like to thank the businesses, organizations and individuals who have supported our daughter, Jessi Labish, with her singing over the past 12 years as a student in the Cheney School District.
Jessi was forced to make the decision to quit choir due to a scheduling conflict. Her spring choir trip coincides with the final league softball game against Medical Lake scheduled for Friday, May 4.
Unfortunately, the final decision that she was not allowed to miss the Friday choir performance in Spanaway, Wash., was made by her peers in the Music-N-Motion Show Choir.
Jessi has been a member of the CHS Concert Choir for four years and the Music-N-Motion Show Choir for three years. She has also been a varsity softball pitcher for four years and has missed numerous softball games and basketball games due to choir performances.
She missed her first choir performance this year due to her attendance at the Spokane Regional Sports Commission's annual luncheon for area high school athletes. This was an impossible decision for her to make knowing she would be letting down either her choir or her softball team.
Hopefully, the school administration will be more able to help the next athlete/singer/musician who is faced with such a heavy burden two months before graduating from high school, especially when that student is as well known for performing community services.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the following: Lenny's Italian Restaurant, Farmers Insurance/Doug Nixon, Cheney Federal Credit Union, Washington Mutual Bank, Chet's Flowers, Cheney Owl Pharmacy, Tree of Knowledge Bookstore, Sweet Savoy Restaurant, Cheney Dental Clinic, In Style Hair Studio/Kathy Rice, Mystique Photography, Cheney VFW Post, Cheney Outreach, West Plains Little League, Cheney Mat Hawks, Helen Boots, Dick Huber, Hal and Melinda Sautter, Gary Blake, Daniel Waud, Pam Corlett, Julie Zimmerman, Bill Foster, Joan Hisaw, Karen Runyon, Adam Smith, Darrin Mason, Jim Missel, Zona Robertson, Fred Coleman, Tom and Lorraine Labish, Gary and Marlene Gilbreth, Red and JoAn Sanders, Ed and Rubi Geary, Bill and Barbara Ifft, Harlan and Kathy Shellabarger, Greg and Wendy Westby, Rick and Carol Campbell, Rick and Maxine Pickel, Diana Gfeller, John Harris, Mike and Mary Decesare, Jim and Betty Hatch, Jim and Celia Hatch, David and Martha Lauber, Bob and Debbie Hudson, Mitch Swenson, and Darrel and Margy Swenson.
We apologize if we missed anyone!
Tim and Debi Labish
Cheney
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Pheasant program needs a brand-new 'Answer'
I love Washington where the pheasant restoration is moving ever so slow. Perhaps the Department of Wildlife is locked in reverse and cannot seem to shift into low.
Our present program ties us to the pheasant farm. We need to call on nature and place our hens into her arms. It parallels canned hunting, releasing a rooster from a cage, offering our restoration nothing in this day and age.
Down this crazy road, you just might be surprised. The day may come when purchasing your license they hand you a plastic bag with a frozen rooster inside.
A pheasant hen is worth a boxcar full of roosters. When it comes to performance, the lady bird is super.
The pheasant hen is protected throughout the state, her value cherished more of late.
All the hen pheasants that our state provides from the hatcheries and our brood stock nesting outside belong to you and belong to me and must be protected to the highest degree.
My Labrador, Velvet, and I disapprove of our state's plan and feel obligated to try our hand.
Our program presents no burden to their plan, because it calls for 80 percent suburban pheasant hens.
I call my proposed plan the Voluntary Sanctuary Pheasant Program.
The Department of Fish and Wildlife will plant your acreage with a clutch of pheasants (six hens and two roosters), provided:
1) A farmer must apply on a first-come, first-serve basis.
2) Acreage must provide cover, habitat and water.
3) The farmer must post acreage as a sanctuary for a minimum of two years.
4) After two years, a farmer can open his acreage to the public during hunting season.
5) The farmer must hold enough roosters to service hens.
This is an ongoing program.
Pheasant hunting plays a paramount role in my life, scoring second only to my wife. I was somewhat pressured when casting my vote – holding onto my marriage or lifestyle of a goat!
Hal Meili
Cheney
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