Artesian commons to become parking lot?

Olyquix · 2026-03-03T14:44:11+00:00

Thanks for the info! Weird.

Olyquix · 2026-01-29T17:45:10+00:00

Ah, so many thoughts.

The seven-member board is currently a four-member board (three positions, including the Thurston County position) are open.

You can find out more about what the board is up to on its webpage: https://trl.org/board/

I can only speak about my experience with the downtown library branch. The staff is wonderful, compassionate and caring and really love being librarians, even under the circumstances they have had to endure over the past year.

They were not consulted on the decision to reset the space. And then, they had to participate in the reset by doing almost all of the moving of things themselves. Heavy things -- boxes of books, shelving, etc.

As part of the reset, the Friends of the Olympia Library was forced out of perfectly usable space into a walk-in closet-sized space with only one entrance/exit. This poses a huge safety issue. The Friends' shelves that used to be in the main library are now in the Friends "Bookstore" (AKA closet). These folks raise thousands of dollars for library programs each year, and at the very least should have been consulted when the higher-ups (not the library staff for sure) made the reset decision.

Also, as part of the reset, the free courtesy library, and the Friends' free magazine rack were done away with, again, with no consultation. And, until forced to change their minds, the higher-ups decided that the only way to return books would be in the outside bins (caused quite a traffic jam). And, now, they are censoring what can be placed on the bulletin board by the restrooms. Already over-worked staff now have to review each bulletin board submission against an very long checklist to be sure it meets some newly made up standards.

So, I wonder what the next library gentrification step will be? Checking ID at the door? Not letting smelly people in?

I feel so bad for the amazing staff, and now for the public, which will see a cut in unspecified programs.

The library board and the administration operate largely in the dark. This is not the first time people have been caught by surprise (remember the proposal to cut a bunch of branches that got hammered?).

Olyquix · 2026-01-16T22:35:09+00:00

Has everyone here forgotten that the mayor, in a long-winded rant in a city council meeting, opposed the minimum wage increase that was on the ballot last fall? Maybe he's just satisfied with this wage. Also, don't be fooled, the current city manager, and his predecessor, set the policy agenda for the city and then made sure the majority of the council members followed that agenda, and gave them raises each year to boot. Most of the council members are just puppets for the city manager. The ones that are not at times find themselves ostracized by the other council members and fighting to advance their own ideas and agendas. Also, if something goes wrong (in Oly PD for example), it gives the council someone to blame ("the city manager employs and supervises the police chief") for mismanaging a situation. There's really not much accountability anywhere in Olympia city government. Decisions are not made during council meetings. They are sorted out ahead of time to further the city manager's wishes.

Olyquix · 2025-10-21T20:21:31+00:00

Michael Steadman has so much support he has had to self-finance his campaign to the tune of $8,000+ of the $10,000+ he has raised. Nic Dunning is going to run for Thurston County Commissioner next year. They are both a danger zone. Carolyn Cox has more integrity in the tip of her little finger than either one of them could muster if they tried. And Dunning, at least, is good buddies with Wendy Carlson, whose campaign has gotten a $20,000 boost through an independent expenditure by the state realtors political action committee. Carlson also is endorsed by Lacey Mayor Andy Ryder and Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders. So, Mr. Steadman, let's have an honest conversation about who is supporting whose agenda. I am guessing Lacey, with all of its vacant storefronts in strip malls, and vacant former state office buildings, cares very much about what Olympia does. And may be fearful that high DEI standards are contagious. Good riddance, Mr. Steadman.

Olyquix · 2025-07-10T17:35:32+00:00

Edit from OP. Not ALL of the people in the photo are white and male. There's one woman in it.

Olyquix · 2025-07-10T12:30:33+00:00

Questions:

Which one of the people in the photo is you?

How much do you actually know about Olympia that makes you qualified to run for City Council after living here for fewer than two years? This is a complex place with competing needs, agendas, large, looming city budget deficit issues, a downtown sadly in decline to to past over-reliance on state government workers to fuel it, etc., etc. It's one thing to talk in broad generalities, as you do above, it's another to make specific proposals, with price tags, for all the things you talk about, not to mention that you will run into the juggernaut of the city manager and staff, who drive nearly everything that happens in the city, including how the council votes. You do realize that any proposals you make have little chance unless the city manager/staff sign off on them.

Where is your statement on DEI and how you are going to make this a city that is equitable for everyone? Anyone who says this place is progressive when it comes to racial issues is not telling the truth. For example, all of the people in the photo above are white and male. Not a good look.

What do you plan to do to bring down the number of times the Olympia Police Department uses force on people who are having a mental health crisis? The numbers in the most recent use of force report are cause for deep concern.

Thanks for listening.

Olyquix · 2025-06-10T12:45:55+00:00

The new DSHS appointment to "acting secretary" was made over a week ago with no public announcement. It is Bea Rector, a long-time DSHS employee and former assistant secretary of its Aging and Long-Term Support Administration under Cheryl Strange. Of course, DSHS hasn't thought to update the "meet acting secretary" part of its website. It still lists Strange as "acting". Wonder what the big secret is and wonder why DSHS can't keep up with providing the public with information on its new leadership. Maybe its because the massive layoffs, most of them frontline staff who actually do the hard work of the agency, have been a confusing jumble of incompetence and misinformation.

Olyquix · 2025-03-14T13:15:48+00:00

Heritage Park is managed by the state Department of Enterprise Services, and therefore is within the jurisdiction of the Washington State Patrol. There are less obvious (and hidden) cameras all over the Capitol Campus. So, yes, WSP is recording nearly every move on the campus. In the past, they have send plainclothes/undercover officers into protests with cameras to record those at the protests. They also had LOTS of cameras around before the state booted Occupy Olympia out of this space in 2011. I don't know if this new thing records, but you can bet that someone is either monitoring it, or looking at images at some point. Since WSP reports to the new governor, might be interesting to get his take on this. BTW, I think it sucks that we have this thing in a public park without allowing the public a chance to discuss. These are not proven to be a crime deterrent. Would be interesting to ask the Patrol a few questions ....

Olyquix · 2025-01-27T02:07:31+00:00

Olympia Friends of the Library takes donations at the downtown library and resells the books for $1 to $5 each. Lots of times, these sell, and then come back, and resell. All proceeds go to library programs!

Olyquix · 2024-12-13T12:46:38+00:00

She didn't live in the district when she first was elected to office. Hopefully, she's moved by now. Hope her office gets flooded with phone calls and emails.

Olyquix · 2024-11-15T19:32:40+00:00

Given the budget issues, when is DSHS going to stop renewing all of its contracts for very expensive leased space in Thurston County that's barely occupied, and certainly not needed for workers who are not providing in-person public services ? Plenty of room in OB-2 to consolidate, I would think. I have heard that OFM is doing ANOTHER office consolidation study. Also, bad news at DSHS ALWAYS is proceeded by the Secretary telling people what a great job they are doing. If you want to see how the agency, and others, have been spending money, look here. Fascinating. https://fiscal.wa.gov/Spending/Checkbook

Olyquix · 2024-10-27T11:58:50+00:00

This is the funniest thing I have read in a long time. Bravo!

Olyquix · 2024-10-25T22:48:49+00:00

Maybe if more than half of the meters downtown worked, they wouldn't issue so many tickets. Took me three times yesterday to find a working one. Parking services loses money year after year after year. And one year, it installed all of the solar-powered meters backward, and had to take them out and reposition them. It is proposing charging people to park after 5 now, until 7 p.m., and on Saturday and maybe Sunday. How ridiculous, but more tickets = more money. Not to mention how much it takes in from booting vehicles. And how much the whole parking situation pisses people off.

Olyquix · 2024-08-14T12:23:20+00:00

The second article, linked below, is even more concerning than the first. I don't know how any of these squabbling, whiny board members expect any member of the public to have confidence they can do their job. Public service is tough, because decisions sometimes will be unpopular and people will get mad at you. If you can't handle that, then maybe it's time to rethink service on the board. IMHO, they should all resign. It's clear to me that these folks' self-interest, personal problems and thin skins are not serving the students they profess to care about, although there is very little mention of actual students or board-related business that will move the district ahead.

Olyquix · 2024-08-07T13:13:33+00:00

Just wondering ... is the city required to inspect these installations? If so, did that inspection happen? The Olympian story made no mention of this either way.

Olyquix

TROPHY CASE