Ordinance1343_Testimony_ThruFeb13February 10, 2023
Dear Lewis County Board of Commissioners,
I am a property owner in Mineral, writing to voice my strong support of the rezone being sought to
support the YMCA’s planned camp at Mineral Lake.
Given the many hearings, the Y’s efforts to address the town’s questions, and, finally, the
unanimous support of the Planning Commission – I strongly support this rezone for the following
reasons:
• Our town needs an injection of young people and young families. Demographic data show
that our population is dwindling – as well as getting older and poorer. We no longer have
employment in this town, and little reason for young people to stay. We have the perfect
setting to remake ourselves as a year-round recreation center. This camp could help us
do that, even as it offers employment opportunities we that are currently completely
lacking.
• Our town needs to build its core, and the Y could be a catalyst for that. With a small market
that has recently closed and the only remaining business a tavern, Mineral is dying. We’re
not looking to be an urban center, but, at minimum, a coffee shop and general store
would provide both employment and year-round service to the locals who live here.
These services could even help more people decide to move to Mineral – or at least to
stay. The Y could potentially help Mineral bring jobs to our community.
• YMCA camps have a proven track record of positive community impact. A friend of mine has
researched, and shared with me, the impact of two other YMCA camps in Washington:
Orkila, on Orcas Island and Camp Coleman, on Bainbridge Island. What she found was
local papers with regular articles and letters to the Editor thanking the YMCA for their
participation in the local communities. Naysayers in Mineral seem to be claiming that the
Y will move in and destroy this town – but the evidence suggests that, actually, locals in
places where the Y has camps are actually deeply grateful for the way the Y affects their
local community.
• Something is going to happen to this land, and it should be for something positive. Sure, we’d
all like for nothing to change, ever, to keep our pristine lake with the aging repeat
customers who come back every summer. But that’s not on the table. So what do I want?
A bunch of McMansions along the lake, second homes for people from the big cities? or a
camp that supports children, families, and the communities it serves? That’s a no-brainer
for me. If the land around the lake must be developed, I would far prefer a children’s
camp to anything else that might happen. The Y has a proven track record of running
some of the best kids’ camps in the country.
• Improvement of local Fire Department/Paramedic resources would be net positive for our
community. The Y has committed to paying for these necessary improvements. It will be
nice to get that commitment signed, sealed, and delivered for the security of Mineral.
• A lot of the fearmongering surrounding the camp is inaccurate. I don’t understand why
people would think the Y wanting to build a camp here means the Nisqually would build a
casino. My understanding is the idea of a casino is written out of the covenants for the
rezone, and that those covenants will pass along to any future buyers of the land.
• This rezone vote is about land use, and land use only. The question on the table is not what
one might think about the Y’s programming. The question is whether a children’s camp is
a reasonable use of the land. This should be the only question on which this vote is
based. I’ve had numerous friends attend YMCA camps and they were never
indoctrinated into anything but how to make/create things, become interested in
ecosystems, making s’mores around a campfire, and to be helpful to others.
• We need to make this vote based on the opinions of locals who have a committed future here.
A lot of the negative noise seems to come from folks who don’t own property, or who, to
put it bluntly, are unlikely to be around 20 years from now. I have no problem against
renting and I do have great respect for our elders. However, this decision will affect our
town for decades to come. Those of us who own property and are also below 70
overwhelmingly support this camp. Please listen to our voices.
Thank you for your attention. As a property owner in Mineral who wants a bright future for this
town, I strongly support the Mineral Rezone.
Sincerely,
Tom Searl – 56 years old – 184 Naugle Rd., Mineral WA 98355
From:vmg@q.com
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:YMCA camp at Mineral Lake
Date:Friday, February 10, 2023 4:35:38 PM
I am grateful that at least 2 of the Lewis County Commissioners have already voted against
allowing the YMCA to establish a camp at Mineral Lake. The YMCA used to mean: YoungMen's Christian Association. The values promoted were Christian. Now the values promoted
reflect the "woke" culture-- transgenderism, homosexuality, LGBTQ,Black Lives Matter,etc........ Such values bring death to a culture, check history. Indoctrination in death brings
GOD's judgment!
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensurethe message is legitimate before opening it.
From:Frank Zerkel
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:YMCA
Date:Saturday, February 11, 2023 3:25:03 PM
A few questions for the YMCA proposal
As any organization inquiring about moving in next door, we would like to get to know you
better, specifically if you the integrity to be are who you say you are, and your intentions. Sohere are a few questions:
1. Who is your authority and who do you answer to? It the community disagrees with one of
your policies, what is your procedure to make modifications? Being a Christian Organization,will you have any local Christians in a position of authority? Can you explain the event in Port
Townsend where an 80 year old woman was kicked out of the YMCA after protesting abiological male exposing his penis in a woman's locker room? What if a biological male
exposes (or worse) a penis to girls and women at your proposed Lewis County location?
1. Your name is Young Men's Christian Organization. Can you define what is a "young
man?". Please be specific and do not use a vague company statement.
2. Your name also says "Christian Organization". That is a noble and high calling. Bydefinition a Christian professes Jesus Christ and His teachings. Because you have been so bold
to keep "Christian Organization" in your title, please detail how you teach staff and membersthe following basic Christian beliefs. Please share specifically and do not default to a vague
company slogan.
1. The Bible is the inerrant word of God. (2 Timothy 16). Explain how you teach this.2. That there is a heaven and a hell (Revelation) Explain how you teach this.
3. That we are all born sinners in need of forgiveness to go to heaven(Romans) Explain howyou teach this.
4. That Jesus Christ is God. Because man needed a perfect sacrifice to pay the price forsinners, Jesus came as a man, was crucified, died, and resurrected, and returned to heaven.
Explain how you teach this5. Jesus said he was the ONLY way to heaven. He said "No one comes to the Father except
through me". Explain how you teach this.
Do you know who John R. Mott is? He was a national president of the YMCA in the earlyand mid 1900's. He was so immersed in the mission of the YMCA that he turned down an
offer to serve as Secretary of State for the United States. He eventually won a Noble PeacePrice for his work in the YMCA. It would be reasonable that his comments would hold
considerable weight with the YMCA today. Here were his thoughts on keeping the YMCA avital organization:
"If the Young Men's Christian Association is to increase its spiritual
vitality and fruitfulness, it must maintain at all costs its
distinctively Christian, pronouncedly evangelistic, and aggressivelymissionary character. This is tantamount to saying that it mustpreserve its clear Christian aim, its unshakable Christian
foundation, and its genuinely Christian control: that is must hold inproper prominence its Christian program and be animated by agenuinely Christian spirit.
The Association must steadfastly resist the danger of becoming amere human institution - in a general sense religious but notemphatically, pervasively, and contagiously Christian. This
essential must never be compromised, obscured, or abandoned for
the sake of any plausible outward success or worldly advantage forsuch a course would mark the beginning of the end" "
As a reminder, this is from your Nobel Peace Prize winning representative. Without usingcompany slogans, how would you say todays YMCA is holding up these ideals? Pleasereview all of his points.
Your current motto is "Our Mission is to put Christian principles into practicethrough programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all" Does this
include all Christian principles including the 1to 5 list above, or do you pick and
chose some scriptures and Christian principles that fit your needs? How do you pick
and chose?
Jesus said you are either with him or against him (Matt 12:30). There is no
incremental Christianity. You believe and abide to ALL His words, or you in conflict
with Him. Picking and choosing Christian principles to fit your needs is not the markof a "Christian Organization".
Final concerns are:
-Your organization uses the "front" of Christianity but has backslid considerably since JohnMott's warnings in 1946. You expect the parents of Lewis County to trust their children withyou. However, your policies and convictions are in a concerning continual flux. You havemorphed into a completely different organization since the time of John Mott. Who can trustthat? What type of organization will you be in 10,20,50 years?
- I am concerned that you are misrepresenting the name "Christian Organization", and thebeliefs that the name of Christ demands. I am concerned that the people of Lewis County willthink more highly than they ought of YMCA because of the misnomer. I am concerned that afalse label "Christian Organization" will lure naive parents to think they are entrusting theirchildren with Christians. This is really a bait and switch scenario of the worst kind. The Biblesays to beware of deceiving people adorned in sheep's clothing.
It is a concern the YMCA is banking on its name from the past, and they have changed into anorganization that does not represent its title. In Lewis County we are concerned about thewelfare our children and grandchildren. In a short time the YMCA has changed from thefoundational Christian organization of John Mott to one that would be unrecognizable to himtoday. Given this unstable past, who can predict what the YMCA will look like in 10,20,50years? I urge the Lewis County Commissioners to not put our kids at risk to find out.
From:labrecq2@aol.com
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Letter in support of “No to Rezone” Seattle YMCA Master Plan Resort for Lewis County,Mineral Lake
Date:Sunday, February 12, 2023 6:13:08 PM
Please forward the letter below to the Commissioners- Thank you
Dear Commissioners,
We are against the development of the Greater Seattle YMCA/ Nisqually Tribe, Mineral
Lake, Master Plan Resort. We hope you will rule “No to Rezone” of the Lewis County,Mineral Lake property. The following are brief points to remind you of the impactful concerns
for changing the use of this property.
-Impact on local wildlife, deer & elk population, etc. The proposed resort/campdevelopment will significantly, impact fully, and reduce the forested wildlife.
These animals come out to the local road and are so phenomenal to observe. The statecurrently sets aside areas and seasons (hunting season) so the animals have a safe area during
fawning/calving season and winter season. The state and federal government also haveimplemented road and access restrictions in these areas to help with conservation efforts.
-Change of water table structure resulting in having a major impact on the forested land,
shore line, and local water resources, including established local wells and the lake. Theestablishment of the many structures at various locations of the 500 acres; establishing wells to
accommodate 500+ users; and ongoing water usage for the spread out camps to maintain theroutine to cook, clean, and maintain the entire resort property. The more usage, the more water
that will be required. With the arsenic presence it will be an ongoing safety hazard for theyouth. Additionally, the process of building new roads throughout the property and
maintaining the roads will change the flow of the water to the forested land and impact thelake.
-Major impact on the public usage of the fishing lake, as the youth resort will require
portions of the 500 acres to be restricted from the public use. All “youth” camps require a“safe swim/safe aquatics” area. This is a safety requirement. The docked and buoyed areas
will significantly impact the public usage of the lake.
-Huge public inadequacy of the fire and medical support services, for immediate access tostart the resort project components, through out the 20 year estimated development plan, and
to service the 400 youth residents and 100+ resort staff.
-Transportation impact on the highways effecting Pierce County and LewisCounty. Fishing season commences during the spring time and runs through September.
Additionally, we all know the traffic increases significantly to Mount Rainier and isexcessively congested during the spring and summer months. This happens to be the main
times the resort has noted their plan of use.
- The major increase in taxes for the local community and county residents, for thedevelopment of Seattle’s YMCA/ Nisqually Tribe, Master Plan Youth Resort, is not in the best
interests of the Mineral Lake community and Lewis County residents.
We hope you will consider our concerns and that your final decision will be toDECLINE the rezone of this forested land.
Thank you!
Gary & Jill Labrecque
Larry & Mickey Raab
Sent from the all new AOL app for iOS
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure
the message is legitimate before opening it.
From:Maggie MacInnis
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:ORDINANCE 1343 TO AMEND THE LEWIS COUNTY ZONING MAP DESIGNATIONS
Date:Sunday, February 12, 2023 4:12:16 PM
Lewis County Board of Commissioners,
I am writing to register my opposition regarding the Mineral Lake YMCA proposed
amendments to the Lewis County zoning map designations.
First of all, I want to thank you for your decision last fall to deny this zoning request. To the
point, I am concerned over the influence that the YMCA would bring to Lewis County and to
the children who would attend the camp.
In perusing the YMCA website, it is clear that the organization is no longer what it once was
regarding Christian principles. It is, in fact, in opposition to many foundational Christian and
societal principles which are largely still intact in Lewis County. Gender expression, gender
identity, and sexual orientation are a main focus, and the stated purpose of the YMCA is to
create “changemakers” who would, assumedly, promote these ideologies.
While I seek to treat all people with respect, I strongly oppose the propagation of these
ideologies, especially when it comes to our children. I encourage you to deny the rezoning
request a second time and help prevent this influence from being established in Lewis County.
Sincerely,
Maggie MacInnis
679 Hwy 603
Chehalis, WA
360-269-4430
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure
the message is legitimate before opening it.
From:Gina Owen
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:YMCA Rezone Consideration by Lewis County
Date:Sunday, February 12, 2023 9:42:42 PM
I am writing to offer my support for the rezone of the YMCA property from FRL to Master
Planned Resort.
The current zoning of FRL allows timber practices, agriculture, mining, single family homebuilding (with ADU possible), dispersed camping and aircraft landing. These activities do
not enhance the economy or well being of the citizens of Mineral. However, a rezone to MPRallowing lodges and cabins, docks and marinas and cultural and entertainment facilities
consistent with the rural nature of Lewis County would nicely complement this beautiful area. A youth camp that would employ up to 100 camp counselors, maintain 40% open space and
provide a very positive experience for the youth of Lewis County is welcome. I believe theTribes are in support of such an endeavour as well.
I wholeheartedly support the rezoning of this land to bring jobs, outdoor recreation and youth
enhancement activities would greatly benefit Mineral and Lewis County.
Respectfully submitted,Gina Owen
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure
the message is legitimate before opening it.
From:BOCC
To:sallo1@msn.com
Cc:Mindy Brooks
Subject:RE: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 11:30:40 AM
Thank you for submitting your comments to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
Unfortunately, since this is a quasi-judicial matter that will come before the BOCC for a decision at a
later date, the Commissioners are unable to respond.
The commissioners regret that they are unable to reply, but state law requires that they hear about
this matter only at the public meeting.
I am CCing Mindy Brooks at Community Development (mindy.brooks@lewiscountywa.gov). Mindy is
the contact for public testimony for this topic and can let you know when the record will open for
written testimony.
For information on how to participate in the public meeting, please contact Community
Development at 360-740-2677.
From: contact@lewiscountywa.gov <contact@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:18 AM
To: Rieva Lester <Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov>; Tammy Martin
<Tammy.Martin@lewiscountywa.gov>; BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Name: Joanna Aaron
Email: sallo1@msn.comMessage: I have read the YMCA mission that has been submitted for review. It is a cluster of
woke ideology wrapped up in a child friendly package! We in Lewis county reject YMCA andSeattle's leftist wish list for our children. On a 2nd note, I have asked the folks from YMCA
where their funding projections are coming from over the next 10 years, this is something thatshould have been detailed prior to purchasing the 1st plot of land. This is an area of serious
concern for our county, what happens to the project if the funding dries up, do they pivot tostate/fed funded full-time housing? We know the government wants to change the way we live
in Lewis county, is this the foot hold they need??User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; Android 13; SM-F936U1) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML,
like Gecko) Chrome/104.0.0.0 Mobile Safari/537.36IP Address: 166.181.252.8
Commissioners,
I, as a frequent visitor and recreationist due to my family owning property in the town of Mineral,
Washington oppose the Mineral Re-Zone.
I have been coming to Mineral since I was a toddler. I come to enjoy the recreational
opportunities it offers as well as the peace and tranquility. Over the years it has provided me
with a lifetime of memories that I hope to continue with my husband and children.
Contrary to how County personnel have made it sound and appear, this Re-Zone is NOT
required to be in compliance with the Washington State Growth Management Act. The proposed
Re-Zone stands to change the landscape and have a negative impact on the residents of
Mineral, Washington. This Re-Zone will have a significant impact by destroying animal habitat
and displacing those animals, not to mention it will destroy the peacefulness and serenity of one
of the most pristine areas in Lewis County. There will also be a substantial increase in vehicle
traffic, causing an increase in road noise, which will negatively impact the residents of Mineral,
Washington.
I am certain this Re-Zone is not what’s best for this community. It most certainly is NOT the best
use for the area and will have a significant negative impact on the lives of those most impacted;
that being the residents of Mineral. Furthermore, should the Re-Zone overlay be approved, it
opens the door for much greater development in the future, adding to the degradation of a way
of life so many have come to know and love. I hope the Board of County Commissioners will
make the decision to represent the greater number of their constituents who oppose this
Re-Zone request.
In the Lewis County’s Planning and Community Development Departments attempt to justify this
Re-Zone they have not brought forward any empirical data to support their position that this
land is better used as a master plan resort than its current zoning status.
I, along with my family and many others, oppose the Mineral Re-Zone.
Please ensure my written comments are included in the Mineral Re-Zone official record.
Sincerely,
Alexis Shellenback
I am writing in support of the YMCA Greater Seattle, Rezone & Comprehensive Plan Amendment. I have
previously provided written and oral comments and appreciate the opportunity to add additional
comments.
The purpose of proposing the Master Plan Resort (MPR) Overlay is to allow the eventual phased
development of a youth and family camp. If the Master Plan Resort (MPR) overlay designation is
approved, the subject parcels will no longer be used to generate timber revenue, although the proposed
new use will allow the area to remain predominantly forested, compatible with outdoor recreation,
dispersed camping, and natural environment education - while providing a new source of local tourism
revenue and maintaining public access to the lake.
As a Lewis County landowner and long-time resident, my ability to legally develop my property as I see
fit is a right that I deeply value and one that informed my original decision to purchase timberland and
raise my family here. It sets a bad precedent for the BOCC to continue to rule against this rezone as an
indication that cultural values, religious beliefs, race, and the personal ideology of our local elected
leaders are more important than our citizen’s individual property rights. Ruling against this MPR is not
only a clear example of government overreach, but would result in a great disservice to the economic,
recreational, and public benefits that would be realized by this project.
I encourage the Board of County Commissioners to see the MPR as a property rights issue, and as such,
to find it in the best interest of all the citizens of Lewis County to approve the rezone request. Please re-
consider the following findings in informing your decision:
1) The footprint of the proposed Master Plan Resort overlays 24 legal parcels that each include
lakefront access. If the MPR is not adopted these properties may be privately developed
resulting in restricted access to the lake.
2) Master Planned Resorts are intended to enhance and diversify recreational and economic
opportunities that complement the natural and cultural attractiveness of the area. The
proposed youth and family camp will directly benefit Mineral’s local economy - which is
dependent on tourism dollars generated through its current recreational draws.
3) The SEPA process has determined that this MPR, if approved, would not result in significant
adverse impacts on environment and natural features, cultural or historic resources and their
settings, or existing development. The Lewis County Planning Commission has indicated
agreement in their unanimous approval of the landowner’s MPR rezone request.
4) The project would result in an increased need for public infrastructure improvements including
roads, water, sewer, and emergency services. This will be addressed in the next phase of project
development which involves a Binding Site Plan process intended to implement measures to
mitigate all potential adverse impacts. For the project to be successful the YMCA must include a
legitimate seat at the table during that process - one that is committed to incorporating input
from voting representatives of the local Mineral community.
Harry O. Bhagwandin
183 Shady Grove Road
Onalaska, WA 98570
Thanks for the opportunity to give comment on the YMCA camp proposal. I
am not a Mineral resident, but I have lived in Morton for over 60 years. I want to speak out on this issue because I believe that camps are good for kids, and can go a long way toward fixing a serious problem for many of our youth today-isolation. I love this area very much, I’ve lived and taught here for a long time, and
I’m happy that my own kids could grow up here. This is a healthy place for
kids, with access to nature, forests, lakes, rivers, and hiking trails. We know
that our kids here have advantages because of that and the type of
character it builds.
I grew up in another beautiful place, Northern Minnesota, with plenty of places to meet nature , forests and lakes. My life was full of camping experiences , as a camper, and as a camp counselor, and I know the benefits and life-changing experiences it can bring. I know first-hand the benefits of camps. For one thing, it is pretty much impossible to stay
isolated at camp. In addition to learning to love nature, you have the
experience of working together, sharing, learning life skills, leadership
skills, and natural helper skills. You will be a vital part of a team-building
fires, cooking, raising the flag, cleaning the latrines, performing a skit.
before long everyone knows your name! I also know how children
respond to positive encouragement . My thoughts now are with young boys growing up in quite a different atmosphere, one where they do not have this experience-often spending time alone or on line, feeling left out, isolated, and learning to hate themselves and everyone else. Maybe we could start here.
I have seen changes in kids experiencing camp life. I ask you to think about
what it could mean if even one kid is enabled to have a more productive
future through learning to believe in himself. What if 10 kids gained more
hope and confidence, or 100 ? This is a big opportunity to make a difference, please support this proposal.
From:BOCC
To:rohrus@yahoo.com
Cc:Mindy Brooks
Subject:RE: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 11:27:28 AM
Thank you for submitting your comments to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
Unfortunately, since this is a quasi-judicial matter that will come before the BOCC for a decision at a
later date, the Commissioners are unable to respond.
The commissioners regret that they are unable to reply, but state law requires that they hear about
this matter only at the public meeting.
I am CCing Mindy Brooks at Community Development (mindy.brooks@lewiscountywa.gov). Mindy is
the contact for public testimony for this topic and can let you know when the record will open for
written testimony.
For information on how to participate in the public meeting, please contact Community
Development at 360-740-2677.
From: contact@lewiscountywa.gov <contact@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:47 AM
To: Rieva Lester <Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov>; Tammy Martin
<Tammy.Martin@lewiscountywa.gov>; BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Name: Kristen Chilson
Email: rohrus@yahoo.comMessage: Dear Lewis County Board of Commissioners, I am against the proposed YMCA
rezone at Mineral Lake. First, A Master Resort does nothing to address needed housing.Second, we should not approve large tracts of our county's Timberland to be rezoned. The
state has lost over 400,000 acres of working forest and is on track to lose 660,00 more in thenext two decades. Our local timber industry jobs depend on the county's 900,000 acres of
Timberland. Losing 2100 acres is no small potatoes. With the DNR moving to carbonsequestration it is more important to reserve our local timber forests. It's not like we have a
proposal of a small 10 acre parcel near a municipality that can be turned into needed housingtracts. Please vote no on the proposed YMCA rezone Kristen Chilson Winlock
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML,like Gecko) Chrome/110.0.0.0 Safari/537.36
IP Address: 199.15.222.111
From:BOCC
To:gag.washington@gmail.com
Cc:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Re: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 8:46:29 AM
Attachments:StrategiesGoodWrittenTestimony_January2023.pdfStrategiesGoodOralTestimony_January2023.pdf
Thank you for submitting your comments to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
Unfortunately, since this is a quasi-judicial matter that will come before the BOCC for a decision at a
later date, the Commissioners are unable to respond.
The commissioners regret that they are unable to reply, but state law requires that they hear about
this matter only at the public meeting.
I am CCing Mindy Brooks at Community Development (mindy.brooks@lewiscountywa.gov). Mindy is
the contact for public testimony for this topic and can let you know when the record will open for
written testimony.
For information on how to participate in the public meeting, please contact Community
Development at 360-740-2677.
From: contact@lewiscountywa.gov <contact@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 8:42 AM
To: Rieva Lester <Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov>; Tammy Martin
<Tammy.Martin@lewiscountywa.gov>; BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Name: Alex ChrostowskiEmail: gag.washington@gmail.com
Message: It has come to the attention of Gays Against Groomers that the YMCA is attemptingto circumvent zoning regulations in order to build up in a very rural part of Lewis County.
This issue is certainly a legal one for the county commissioners. However, the WashingtonChapter of Gays Against Groomers would like to stand against the YMCA on account of their
morally bankrupt policies. The YMCA allows anyone of the opposite sex to use the facilitiesof whichever sex they ‘identify’ with. In our view this poses an unacceptable and unnecessary
risk to our children’s privacy and safety. We kindly, but urgently request that the countycommissioners deny the YMCA’s petition on legal and ethical grounds.
The City of Winlock
323 NE 1st St, Winlock,
WA 98596
(360) 785-3811
Frank Rodriguez, MAOL
Executive Director, Operations
GagLeadership.Frank@gmail.com
949.316.7086
Gays Against Groomers
RE: Opposition to YMCA
To: City Officials
It has been brought to my attention that your city is considering not allowing a YMCA to be placed within
your limits. I would highly encourage this action as it will prevent any persons from being harmed.
The YMCA has a stance of allowing males into female changing spaces which is extremely dangerous for both
parties. According to the Independent.co.uk where gender-neutral changing areas are allowed, they have
seen an increase in women being assaulted due to this. In fact, more than two-thirds of their assaults in 2018
were conducted in these spaces. (Hosie, R. (2018, September 2).
Allowing this organiza�on within your city would open it up to possible sexual scandals as doing some
research this organiza�on has had many situa�ons where children are being abused sexually (Police:
Video. 2021, June 25), (Former. (n.d.). This would lead me to believe that the organization is not vetting
their employees or volunteers safely which poses an additional danger to your city.
Recently, the YMCA has had multiple issues arise regarding single-sex spaces. Lack of safeguarding has
resulted in sex crimes, violent protests, discrimination against women & girls, court cases, and a $10,000
charge for emotional damage based on "gender expression.”
These took place in New York City, Washington, California, Ohio, and Iowa." (Riley, J. (2023, February 9),
(Staff, D. C. 2022, August 19), (Gordon, J. 2022, August 9),
I would highly encourage the YMCA to do an extreme restructuring to their organization to ensure the safety
of all those who partake in these facilities; however, as it stands, I would discourage approving the YMCA to
join the people of Winlock.
Fitness Hit for Anti-Trans Locker Room, Bathroom Policies. Gaycitynews.com.
https://gaycitynews.com/human-rights-commission-settles-two-cases-transgender-at-gyms/
Former. (n.d.). Www.ice.gov. Retrieved February 12, 2023, from https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/former-
ymca-employee-sentenced-child-pornography-crimes
Hosie, R. (2018, September 2). Unisex changing rooms put women at danger of sexual assault, data
reveals. The Independent. htps://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/women/sexual-assault-unisex-
changing-rooms-sunday-�mes-women-risk-a8519086.html
Police: Video. (2021, June 25). FOX 5 DC. htps://www.fox5dc.com/news/video-shows-anne-
arundel-ymca-employee-engaging-in-sex-offense-with-child
Bellamy-Walker, T. (2021, July 23). YMCA and LA Fitness Hit for Anti-Trans Locker Room, Bathroom
Policies. Gaycitynews.com. htps://gaycitynews.com/human-rights-commission-setles-two-cases-
transgender-at-gyms/
Bishop, L. (n.d.). Trial for transgender woman accused of public indecency at Xenia YMCA
postponed. Springfield-News-Sun. Retrieved February 12, 2023, from
htps://www.springfieldnewssun.com/local/trial-for-transgender-woman-accused-of-public-
indecency-at-xenia-ymca-postponed/HB2Z5OYN6VGSRDNA27SPJNNATA/
Demand NYC YMCA Stand With and Support Trans Members. (n.d.). Athlete Ally. Retrieved
February 12, 2023, from htps://www.athleteally.org/ac�ons/demand-nyc-ymca-trans-members/
Gluck, G. (2023, January 20). Trans-Identified Male At Center Of Santee YMCA Controversy Had
Previously Sued A Gym For Access To Women’s Facilities. Reduxx. htps://reduxx.info/trans-
iden�fied-male-at-center-of-santee-ymca-controversy-had-previously-sued-a-gym-for-access-to-
womens-facili�es/
Gordon, J. (2022, August 9). Woman BANNED from YMCA: Demanded trans worker leave ladies
locker room. Mail Online. htps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar�cle-11093519/Elderly-woman-80-
BANNED-YMCA-demanding-transgender-worker-leave-womens-locker-room.html
Riley, J. (2023, February 9). Transgender Woman Charged for Using YMCA Women’s Locker Room.
Metro Weekly. htps://www.metroweekly.com/2023/02/transgender-woman-charged-for-using-
ymca-womens-locker-room/
Staff, D. C. (2022, August 19). 80-Year-Old Feminist Banned from Washington State YMCA for
Warning Other Women About Male Bodies in Locker Room. Daily Ci�zen.
htps://dailyci�zen.focusonthefamily.com/80-year-old-feminist-banned-from-washington-state-
ymca-for-warning-other-women-about-male-bodies-in-locker-room/
From:BOCC
To:clarkcommune@protonmail.com
Cc:Mindy Brooks
Subject:RE: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 11:30:19 AM
Thank you for submitting your comments to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
Unfortunately, since this is a quasi-judicial matter that will come before the BOCC for a decision at a
later date, the Commissioners are unable to respond.
The commissioners regret that they are unable to reply, but state law requires that they hear about
this matter only at the public meeting.
I am CCing Mindy Brooks at Community Development (mindy.brooks@lewiscountywa.gov). Mindy is
the contact for public testimony for this topic and can let you know when the record will open for
written testimony.
For information on how to participate in the public meeting, please contact Community
Development at 360-740-2677.
From: contact@lewiscountywa.gov <contact@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 9:29 AM
To: Rieva Lester <Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov>; Tammy Martin
<Tammy.Martin@lewiscountywa.gov>; BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Name: Lacey Clark
Email: clarkcommune@protonmail.comMessage: Please do not vote to rezone the land in Mineral for the YMCA! I attended the
recent YMCA meeting at the Centralia College. I was thoroughly disappointed anddisheartened to hear that they couldn’t answer a single question or concern in the room. They
admitted they didn’t have answers to many questions and some issues hadn’t even occurred tothem. They sounded like typical politicians with the standard “you gotta pass the bill before
you get to read it” song and dance, trying to convince the room that even though they had noimpact studies or answers, it would all work out magically without any procedural
explanation. They did admit it would cost tax payers and they did admit to buying 1600additional acres AFTER being told NO by Lewis County Board of Commissioners for a
rezone of the initial 500 acres. As it stands there are not adequate fire, police, or emergencyservices for the entire east end. We are talking about an extremely rural and remote area in
East Lewis County. A potential LC BOCC granted rezone and subsequent YMCA resort on2100 acres won’t even hire from or service Lewis County exclusively, if at all, and there’s no
requirement to. This would create an enormous, unsustainable need for revenue to fund thedevelopment of services the community and all of Lewis County cannot afford now. All of
this YMCA need without YMCA bringing any significant revenue to support the financialburden of necessary emergency services build out. What is the price tag on that even? Does
anyone know? We are talking about a massive price tag resulting in huge tax hikes acrossLewis County for something we don’t want and won’t benefit us! Also not addressed is the
negative ecological impact to increased traffic accessing such remote wildlife habitat and thenegative impact on the roadways to get there. What about the negative impact of losing more
timber land in Lewis County? Such a rezone doesn’t support Lewis County or it’s citizen’sbest interests at all. Do not let the YMCA bully you into sacrificing Mineral and hurting all of
Lewis County. Stand up for Lewis County as you were elected to do and we will stand withyou. VOTE NO REZONE.
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 15_6_1 like Mac OS X)AppleWebKit/605.1.15 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/15.6.1 Mobile/15E148 Safari/604.1
IP Address: 104.28.116.29
From:Erin Page
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Support for YMCA Rezone Proposal (Mineral)
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 1:01:59 PM
Hi, Mindy—I understand you are the person who is collecting emails about the Mineral YMCA
Rezone. Pls forward if I’ve got that wrong. Thank you very much!
To the Lewis County Board of County Commissioners:
This letter enthusiastically supports the YMCA Rezone Proposal in Mineral. As a visitor of several
years and now as a property owner, I see the rezone as a critical step in giving Mineral the strength
to continue as a community of year-round residents.
Mineral has a lovely location and not many ways to support itself. We don’t have an option to keep
things the same. They’ve already been changing for decades—a closed school, shrinking population,
distant jobs, a lot of reliance on government programs. If Mineral is to be a place where its residents
can *live,* not just sleep while figuring out if they have to move away, something has to bring new
energy and economic opportunity. That’s what this rezone will do. The YMCA proposal will open up
possibilities for local jobs and businesses and maintain Mineral’s nature as a town of working people
who live off their labor, not their wealth, and love their area. Construction. Landscaping. Building
repair and maintenance. These are good, skilled jobs that can exist in Mineral. But only if the rezone
moves forward.
It seems those who oppose the rezone fear giant casinos, huge parking lots, hundreds and
thousands of people carousing and the crime that comes with booze and gambling. If the proposal
opened those gates, then those fears might have a basis. But it doesn’t. The YMCA effort is about
kids, nature, and thoughtful use of Mineral’s natural gifts. It is the most appropriate use of land that
otherwise will, honestly, just end up as a bunch of giant private homes for weekenders.
Without the rezone, Mineral will have a long, slow death. None of us wants that for ourselves; why
would we sentence the town to the same kind of doomed struggle when instead we can find new
and energetic life?
Thank you for your consideration. I hope you will each vote to approve the YMCA Rezone Proposal.
Sincerely,
Erin Page
133 Mineral Creek Road S.
Mineral
erinmpage@msn.com
206 679 4955
From:BOCC
To:rohrus@yahoo.com
Cc:Mindy Brooks
Subject:RE: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 11:29:42 AM
Thank you for submitting your comments to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
Unfortunately, since this is a quasi-judicial matter that will come before the BOCC for a decision at a
later date, the Commissioners are unable to respond.
The commissioners regret that they are unable to reply, but state law requires that they hear about
this matter only at the public meeting.
I am CCing Mindy Brooks at Community Development (mindy.brooks@lewiscountywa.gov). Mindy is
the contact for public testimony for this topic and can let you know when the record will open for
written testimony.
For information on how to participate in the public meeting, please contact Community
Development at 360-740-2677.
From: contact@lewiscountywa.gov <contact@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:32 AM
To: Rieva Lester <Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov>; Tammy Martin
<Tammy.Martin@lewiscountywa.gov>; BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Name: Elizabeth Rohr
Email: rohrus@yahoo.comMessage: Dear Lewis County Board of Commissioners, I am against the proposed YMCA
rezone at Mineral Lake. First, A Master Resort does nothing to address needed housing.Second, we should not approve large tracts of our county's Timberland to be rezoned. The
state has lost over 400,000 acres of working forest and is on track to lose 660,00 more in thenext two decades. Our local timber industry jobs depend on the county's 900,000 acres of
Timberland. Losing 2100 acres is no small potatoes. With the DNR moving to carbonsequestration it is more important to reserve our local timber forests. It's not like we have a
proposal of a small 10 acre parcel near a municipality that can be turned into needed housingtracts. Please vote no on the proposed YMCA rezone. Elizabeth Rohr
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML,like Gecko) Chrome/110.0.0.0 Safari/537.36
IP Address: 199.15.222.111
From:Bruce L. Richie, Commissioner, Lewis County Fire District #9
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:YMCA camp at Mineral Lake
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 11:58:13 AM
Attachments:image001.png
My public comments from 2021 still stand.
The YMCA of Greater Seattle Camp Mineral Lake proposal does not meet thecriteria stated in Lewis County Code, chapter 17.12.100 (1) (c) (ii):
"The anticipated effect on the ability of the county and/or other service
providers, such as cities, schools, water purveyors, fire districts, and others asapplicable, to provide adequate services and public facilities includingtransportation facilities."
As we have stated many times, the size and scope of this proposed project do
not permit Lewis County Fire District #9 - Mineral Fire and Rescue (a small allvolunteer fire department) to be able to adequately provide needed fireprotection and life safety services to this project and we request that you again
deny this rezone.
As shown in the email chain below, after not getting the answer they liked fromus, representatives from the YMCA contacted the neighboring Morton FireDepartment to ask them to provide the needed services in our district instead
of us.
An overwhelming majority of the local community oppose this project, yet theYMCA keeps attempting to shove it down our throats with more money andmore lawyers, showing even further how they are not good community
partners.
Please consider opinions of the local residents along with the outside theCounty, big money interests pushing this rezone which is not in the bestinterests of the local population, evironment, land use priorities, or forestry
resource practices.
Thank you,
Bruce L. RichieChairman, Board of Commissioners
Lewis County Fire District 9
Mineral Fire and Rescue
-------- Forwarded Message --------Subject:Fwd: Fwd: YMCA camp at Mineral Lake
Date:Thu, 12 Aug 2021 00:42:38 -0700From:Bruce L. Richie, Commissioner, Lewis County Fire District #9
<lcfd9comm3@centurytel.net>To:Karen Witherspoon <karen.witherspoon@lewiscountywa.gov>, Lee Napier
<lee.napier@lewiscountywa.gov>
Greetings,
As Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Lewis County Fire District 9, I
would like to submit a few comments on the sufficiency of the YMCA MineralLake Comprehensive Plan Amendment and SEPA Application Application No.RZ20-00002.
The YMCA has still failed after 3 responses to Lewis County to satisfy theminimum standards that apply to all master planned resorts in Lewis CountyCode 17.20E.040 (5) pertaining to fire supression and emergency services.
As this proposed amendment is located within the jurisdiction of Lewis CountyFire District 9, and we have stated that we are currently unable to providethese services for the YMCA as the project is planned, we feel further
information is required from the YMCA as to how they plan to address fire
suppression and emergency services before this application can be consideredsufficient to move ahead.
In the YMCA's July 12, 2021 submittal response to the 2nd letter of
incompleteness, their most recent answer is:
We are committed to providing these details in the detailed development plan for thesite. The YMCA’s other camps are also located in predominantly rural areas andstrategies and agreements are in place for the provision of services to those facilities.
The YMCA's response of "committing to provide these details" in the future
and statements that "strategies and agreements are in place" at other facilities
does not give adequate information to make a decision about THIS facility.
Thank you,
Bruce L. RichieChairman, Board of CommissionersLewis County Fire District 9
Mineral Fire and Rescue
-------- Forwarded Message --------Subject:Fwd: YMCA camp at Mineral LakeDate:Thu, 29 Jul 2021 10:37:50 -0700From:Jeanine Armstrong <lcfd9mso@gmail.com>To:Bruce Richie <lcfd9comm3@centurytel.net>
I recieved this email from Chief Reynolds in Morton. I briefed him on what the situation is but
felt that I would send this to you as an fyi.
Jeanine
---------- Forwarded message ---------From: BIll Reynolds <lcfd4chief@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jul 29, 2021, 09:23Subject: Fwd: YMCA camp at Mineral Lake
To: Jeanine Armstrong <lcfd9mso@gmail.com>
What do you know about this??
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: David Fisher <david@davidmfisher.com>Date: Thu, Jul 29, 2021 at 8:04 AM
Subject: YMCA camp at Mineral LakeTo: <lcfd4chief@gmail.com>
Dear Chief Reynolds –
My name is David Fisher, and I am working with the YMCA on their plans to acquireproperty and create a youth & family camp on the shore of Mineral Lake.
I would like to schedule a time to talk with you about how your department coordinates
services with Mineral Fire & Rescue and any questions you have about the camp plan. Weknow that Commissioner Richie is extremely concerned about the capacity of his all-volunteer
force to support the camp and equally concerned that the current roads to the site areinsufficient for response equipment travel. On the first issue, the Y has experience with
camps in rather remote locations and has successfully worked with local agencies to providesufficient protection and response capabilities, so we are optimistic this can happen here as
well. On the second, we recognize that road improvements will be required, and this will bepart of Lewis County’s review and approval of the binding site plan before construction of
permanent facilities can begin.
We’d like to solicit your thoughts and opinions as a professional responder operating near thecamp location. Please let me know when you could spare some time for a short conversation,
which we can arrange by phone, Zoom video conference, or in-person as you prefer.
Thank you in advance, and have a good rest of your week.
Regards,
David Fisher
360.870.1332
--
Bill Reynolds
Lewis County Fire District #4
Fire Chief
253-951-7598
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensurethe message is legitimate before opening it.
From:Danielle Githens
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:[Spam?] Mineral Lake Rezone - Public Comments
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 3:31:34 PM
Importance:Low
Ms. Brooks, please provide the below letter to the Board of Country Commissioners in
connection with the proposed Mineral Lake/YMCA rezone and comprehensive plan
amendment.
Thank you
_______
Dear Board of County Commissioners,
I am writing in response to comments you have recently received questioning the
YMCA’s values. I understand your decision is focused on a land-use question –
whether the property at Mineral Lake is suitable for an overnight camp and outdooreducation facility. In such context, opinions regarding the property owner are
irrelevant. But given the number of comments you’ve received about the Y, I wish to
share my personal observations and experiences as a parent of Y campers.
The Seattle Y’s mission is “Building a community where all people, especially the
young, are encouraged to develop their fullest potential in spirit, mind, and body.” For
nearly 30 years, the Y’s core values have been defined as CARING, HONESTY,
RESPECT, and RESPONSIBILITY.
The Y is committed to putting its mission and values into action at summer camp.
Consistent with its mission, the Y strives to provide an environment that is inclusive,
welcoming, and safe for all kids. Additionally, the Y intentionally weaves its corevalues of caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility into camp programming.
Campers who demonstrate care, honesty, respect, or responsibility are recognized by
the Y – both at camp with a certificate, and after the summer at an in-person
celebration that recognizes each camper who received a value award. Over theirmany years at summer camp, there were times when my kids received a value
award. They would return home from camp, proudly share their certificate, and we’d
talk about the value and how it can be demonstrated in everyday life. When one of my
sons was 14, he was asked to speak at the value awards ceremony about the corevalue of respect. In preparing this letter to you, I watched a recording of his speech. In
front of hundreds of campers, parents and Y staff, my son spoke for nearly five
minutes about the ways that respect for self, for others, and for nature is
demonstrated at camp.
I am personally grateful to the Y for providing a safe, welcoming and fun environment
at camp, for reinforcing our shared values of care, honesty, respect, and
responsibility, for recognizing youth who demonstrate those values through theiractions, and for assembling a large community of Y staff and camp families to
celebrate those youth. This is one example of how the Y is helping the next
generation develop to their fullest potential.
Overnight camp provides kids with an opportunity to spend extended time in nature,
sleep under the stars, live cooperatively with people outside their family unit,disengage from technology and screens, be active outdoors, try new activities, take
challenges and risks with elements such as a giant swing or zip line or ropes course,
share the responsibility for maintaining clean spaces, make new friends, and have
fun. Shy kids might stretch their comfort by performing in a campfire skit. A kid whohasn’t ever been on a boat will have an opportunity to learn about water safety and
how to paddle a kayak. Kids who haven’t been away from home may have to work
through homesickness, and in that process gain self-confidence and independence. A
week at camp provides an opportunity for enormous personal growth. I know everytime my kids returned home from Y camp, I could see a difference. This is the Y’s
mission put into action – building a community where all people, especially the young,
are encouraged to develop their fullest potential in spirit, mind, and body.
As to the question at hand – whether an overnight camp and environmental education
center is an appropriate use of the land surrounding Mineral Lake, I agree with the
Planning Commission that the proposal is the highest and best use of the land and
provides a public benefit. The Seattle Y’s overnight camps are designed to have lowvisual and physical impact on the land. A majority of the land owned by the Y will
intentionally remain undeveloped, which will preserve the beauty of the area for the
town of Mineral and its residents and visitors while providing opportunities for youth to
learn about nature and the environment – both through formal outdoor educationprograms and by spending extended time in the outdoors.
I urge you to approve the proposed rezone and comprehensive plan amendment.
Thank you for your consideration.
Danielle Githens
Sent from Mail for Windows
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure
the message is legitimate before opening it.
From:BOCC
To:rohrgp@gmail.com
Cc:Mindy Brooks
Subject:RE: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 11:27:54 AM
Thank you for submitting your comments to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
Unfortunately, since this is a quasi-judicial matter that will come before the BOCC for a decision at a
later date, the Commissioners are unable to respond.
The commissioners regret that they are unable to reply, but state law requires that they hear about
this matter only at the public meeting.
I am CCing Mindy Brooks at Community Development (mindy.brooks@lewiscountywa.gov). Mindy is
the contact for public testimony for this topic and can let you know when the record will open for
written testimony.
For information on how to participate in the public meeting, please contact Community
Development at 360-740-2677.
From: contact@lewiscountywa.gov <contact@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:42 AM
To: Rieva Lester <Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov>; Tammy Martin
<Tammy.Martin@lewiscountywa.gov>; BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Name: Greg Rohr
Email: rohrgp@gmail.comMessage: Dear Lewis County Board of Commissioners, I am against the proposed YMCA
rezone at Mineral Lake. First, A Master Resort does nothing to address needed housing.Second, we should not approve large tracts of our county's Timberland to be rezoned. The
state has lost over 400,000 acres of working forest and is on track to lose 660,00 more in thenext two decades. Our local timber industry jobs depend on the county's 900,000 acres of
Timberland. Losing 2100 acres is no small potatoes. With the DNR moving to carbonsequestration it is more important to reserve our local timber forests. It's not like we have a
proposal of a small 10 acre parcel near a municipality that can be turned into needed housingtracts. Please vote no on the proposed YMCA rezone. Sincerely, Greg Rohr Toledo
User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML,like Gecko) Chrome/110.0.0.0 Safari/537.36
IP Address: 199.15.222.111
From:BOCC
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Fw: MARKED AS SPAM BY AKISMET: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 2:03:58 PM
From: Camren Prater <Camren.Prater@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:31 PM
To: BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>; Tammy Martin <Tammy.Martin@lewiscountywa.gov>;
Rieva Lester <Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Fw: MARKED AS SPAM BY AKISMET: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Message that hit the contact form spam filter.
Camren Prater
ITS3 - Developer
Camren.Prater@lewiscountywa.gov
From: contact@lewiscountywa.gov <contact@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:51 AM
To: Camren Prater <Camren.Prater@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: MARKED AS SPAM BY AKISMET: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Name: Kelly HammerEmail: rohrus@yahoo.com
Message: Dear Lewis County Board of Commissioners, I am against the proposed YMCArezone at Mineral Lake. First, A Master Resort does nothing to address needed housing.
Second, we should not approve large tracts of our county's Timberland to be rezoned. Thestate has lost over 400,000 acres of working forest and is on track to lose 660,00 more in the
next two decades. Our local timber industry jobs depend on the county's 900,000 acres ofTimberland. Losing 2100 acres is no small potatoes. With the DNR moving to carbon
sequestration it is more important to reserve our local timber forests. It's not like we have aproposal of a small 10 acre parcel near a municipality that can be turned into needed housing
tracts. Please vote no on the proposed YMCA rezone Kelly Hammer Chehalis
From:Harry Page-Salisbury
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Mineral re-zone
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 12:52:21 PM
Dear Lewis County Board of Commissioners,
I am a property owner in Mineral, writing to voice my strong support of the rezone being
sought to support the YMCA’s planned camp at Mineral Lake.
Given the many, many hearings, the Y’s efforts to address all the town’s questions, and, finally,
the unanimous support of the Planning Commission – I thought my support could go
unvoiced. I see that I was wrong, and I am writing to rectify that. I strongly support this rezone
for the following reasons:
Our town needs to build its core, and the Y could be a catalyst for that. With a store that
has closed and the only remaining business a tavern, Mineral is becoming less and less
of a town. I don't think anybody would want Mineral to be an urban center, but a coffee
shop and general store would provide both employment and year-round service to the
locals who live here. These services could even help more people decide to move to
Mineral – or at least to stay.
YMCA camps have a proven track record of positive community impact. In trying to come
to my opinion on this, I researched the impact of two other YMCA camps in
Washington: Orkila, on Orcas Island and Camp Coleman, on Bainbridge Island. What I
found was local papers with regular articles and letters to the Editor thanking the YMCA
for their participation in the local communities. Naysayers here in Mineral seem to be
claiming that the Y will move in and destroy this town – but the evidence suggests that,
actually, locals in places where the Y has camps are actually deeply grateful for the way
the Y affects their local community.
Something is going to happen to this land, and I would like it to be a positive
something. Sure, we’d all like for nothing to change, ever, to keep our pristine lake with
the aging repeat customers who come back every summer. But that’s not on the table.
So what's better for Mineral? A bunch of enormous vacation homes for people from the
big cities? or a camp that supports children, families, and the communities it serves?
The answer is obvious. If the land around the lake must be developed, I would far prefer
a children’s camp to anything else that might happen. And the Y has a proven track
record of running some of the best kids’ camps in the country. I went to them and had
nothing but positive experiences.
A lot of the fearmongering surrounding the camp is inaccurate. I don’t understand why
people would think the Y wanting to build a camp here means the Nisqually would build
a casino, when that is so against anything the Y has ever done. In addition, my
understanding is that the idea of a casino is written out of the covenants for the rezone,
and that those covenants pass along to any future buyers of the land.
Thank you for your attention. Again, as a property owner in Mineral who wants a bright future
for this town, I strongly support the Mineral Rezone.
Sincerely,
Harry
--
Director of Operationsharry.ps@carmaproject.com(206) 802-8025
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual
named. It may also be privileged or otherwise protected by work product immunity or
other legal rules. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate,
distribute or copy this email. Please notify the sender immediately by email if you
have received this email by mistake and delete this email from your system. Receipt
by anyone other than the intended recipient is not a waiver of confidentiality or
privilege. Email transmission cannot be guaranteed to be secure or error-free as
information could be intercepted, corrupted, lost, destroyed, arrive late or incomplete,
or contain viruses. The sender therefore does not accept liability for any errors or
omissions in the contents of this message, which arise as a result of email
transmission.
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure
the message is legitimate before opening it.
Commissioners,
I, and countless other visitors and recreationists of Mineral, Washington oppose the Mineral
Re-Zone.
Over the last year County personnel have tried to make it sound and appear as though this
Re-Zone is required to meet the Washington State Growth Management Act when in actuality it
does NOT.
The Re-Zone that has been presented and pushed so harshly stands to have a notable and
long lasting negative impact on the residents of Mineral. There will be a substantial increase in
road traffic and noise. Current wildlife will become displaced as a result. I have been coming to
Mineral for camping, fishing and swimming for many years now. We have created many
memories in this picturesque town and hope to continue sharing the peace and tranquility of
Mineral with my children. Mineral to a lot of folks is a place known well for its peace and calming
environment. This will no longer be the case if this Re-Zone is approved.
This Re-Zone is not what’s best for this community by any means. It most certainly is NOT the
best use of the land and will have a significant negative impact on the lives of the residents of
Mineral, as well as those who come to this area to relax and enjoy nature. Furthermore, in the
event the Re-Zone overlay becomes approved, it opens up Pandora’s box to further
development in the future causing even more of a negative impact. I hope the Board of County
Commissioners will make the decision to represent the greater number of their constituents who
oppose this Re-Zone request.
I, along with my family, and many other recreationalists of the Mineral, Washington oppose the
Mineral Re-Zone.
Please ensure my written comments are included in the Mineral Re-Zone official record.
Sincerely,
Justin Shellenback
From:Susanne Kiffer
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Re: No YMCA Camp in Lewis County
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 12:08:54 PM
To the Commissioners
I have become aware that the board of commissioners has already said no to YMCA
and that the YMCA is appealing. So I would like to thank the commissioners for their initial
decision and implore them to stand by that decision at the appeal hearing, to protect our
community from this organization that endangers women and children in the name of
"inclusivity". Please see my previous email. Also, a correction on my previous email: I meant to
say "We do NOT need this kind of insanity in Lewis County." Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Susanne Kiffer
Lifetime Lewis County Resident, Mother of Four
From: Mindy Brooks <Mindy.Brooks@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Wednesday, February 1, 2023 8:11 AM
To: Susanne Kiffer <Saphire3688@hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: No YMCA Camp in Lewis County
Received
~
Mindy
From: BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2023 2:59 PM
To: Susanne Kiffer <Saphire3688@hotmail.com>
Cc: Mindy Brooks <Mindy.Brooks@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Re: No YMCA Camp in Lewis County
Thank you for submitting your comments to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
Unfortunately, since this is a quasi-judicial matter that will come before the BOCC for a decision at a
later date, the Commissioners are unable to respond.
The commissioners regret that they are unable to reply, but state law requires that they hear about
this matter only at the public meeting.
I am CCing Mindy Brooks at Community Development (mindy.brooks@lewiscountywa.gov). Mindy is
the contact for public testimony for this topic and can let you know when the record will open for
written testimony.
For information on how to participate in the public meeting, please contact Community
Development at 360-740-2677.
From: Susanne Kiffer <Saphire3688@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2023 2:57 PM
To: BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: No YMCA Camp in Lewis County
To the Commissioners,
I heard that there is the potential of a YMCA building a camp in Lewis County. I am
writing to ask all of you Commissioners to do everything in your power to prevent this from
happening. The YMCA has been a part of multiple scandals where they allow naked men into
the ladies locker room. When the girls/women who were exposed to this indecent exposure
reported this the YMCA staff only shamed them and defended the the men who claimed to be
"trans women". We do need this kind of insanity in Lewis County. We need to protect our
women and children from the danger of perverts who would spy on them or otherwise take
advantage of them. We need to protect the innocence of our children. We need to protect
our eyes from seeing indecent things. Since the YMCA has not acknowledged the line that has
been crossed here, the organization should not be trusted as a safe place for our youth. I
sincerely hope you will take this under serious consideration and work to help make Lewis
County a safer community
Sincerely,
Susanne Kiffer
Lifetime Lewis County Resident, Mother of Four
External Email - Remember to think before you click!This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure the
message is legitimate before opening it.
Commissioners,
I, as well as many other residents of Mineral, Washington oppose the Mineral Re-Zone.
I have been coming to the Mineral, Washington to camp, fish, and swim since I was a young
child. I admire the beauty and tranquility the area brings.
Contrary to how County personnel make it sound and appear, this Re-Zone is NOT required to
meet the Washington State Growth Management Act.
The proposed Re-Zone stands to change the landscape and have a negative impact on the
residents of Mineral, Washington. This Re-Zone will have a significant impact by destroying
animal habitat and displacing those animals, not to mention it will destroy the peacefulness and
serenity of one of the most pristine areas in Lewis County. There will also be a substantial
increase in vehicle traffic, causing an increase in road noise, which will negatively impact the
residents of Mineral, Washington.
I am certain this Re-Zone is not what’s best for this community. It most certainly is NOT the best
use for the area and will have a significant negative impact on the lives of those most impacted;
that being the residents of Mineral. Furthermore, should the Re-Zone overlay be approved, it
opens the door for much greater development in the future, adding to the degradation of a way
of life so many have come to know and love. I hope the Board of County Commissioners will
make the decision to represent the greater number of their constituents who oppose this
Re-Zone request.
I, along with my family and many other residents of the Mineral, Washington oppose the Mineral
Re-Zone.
Please ensure my written comments are included in the Mineral Re-Zone official record.
Sincerely,
Kayla Brown
From:Brad Lindgren
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Mineral Lake Property Rezone
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 10:35:38 AM
We support the County in not rezoning the property owned by the Y (YMCA). The current Y’s social idealogy may
not be a good fit in Lewis County.
We hope the County Commissioners have done their own research in the Y’s operations and carefully considered
what their addition to Mineral Lake might add or subtract to/from our county, along
with any concerns of the people living in the town of Mineral.
Brad and Audrey Lindgren
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure the message is legitimate before opening
it.
From:BOCC
To:Scott Brummer; Sean Swope; Lindsey Pollock; Lee Napier; Mindy Brooks
Subject:Fw: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 8:14:09 AM
From: contact@lewiscountywa.gov <contact@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2023 6:10 PM
To: Rieva Lester <Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov>; Tammy Martin
<Tammy.Martin@lewiscountywa.gov>; BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Name: Rhonda MortonEmail: berfzoom@gmail.com
Message: Below is correspondence between me and Cheif Cardineli...Please explain to mewhy the county will not give us permission to break up 31 acres on Stearns rd. Especially
when we are in a housing crisis. To be honest we should be able to break it up into 1-acre lots.We have been waiting for 9 months for this to go through. What is our next step to get this
settled. I look forward to your response... Rhonda, I am terribly sorry that your project is beingheld up. This issue lies with the Lewis County and not the Fire District. The county has been
advised that our lawyers have advised us not to sign the Adequate Facility Memo due toliability concerns. The Adequate Facilities Ordinance is an ordinance that Lewis County
Board of County Commissioners put into place and drafted then language in the AdequateFacilities Memo. Lewis County has been advised that the fire district will not sign these
documents on numerous occasions. I recently addressed the BOCC on this topic last month asto our legal concerns. Lewis County Community Development and the Board of County
Commissioners have the ability to change the ordinance or the language that would make itpossible for the Fire District to sign off, but so far have not taken any action. I am terribly
sorry that this issue is holding you up, but the fire district is not the cause for the delay. Mysuggestion is you contact Community Development or you’re the county Commissioner that is
elected for your area. Ken Cardinale Fire Chief Lewis County Fire District Six 360-748-6019Office From: Rhonda Morton Sent: Thursday, February 9, 2023 12:34 PM To: Ken Cardinale
Subject: Morton Estate Good afternoon, My name is Rhonda Morton and my husband and Iare the heirs of 31 acres on Stearns rd. We have gone through all of the steps to break up our
property into five-acre lots, but we are held up because Fire District 6 has not signed thepaperwork needed to move forward. What is it that is holding up the FD from signing off on
that document? Are we stuck in the middle of a County issue? Please advise me on what Ineed to do to get this moving forward. We have been waiting over 9 months between the
county and the FD to give us the go-ahead. Looking forward to hearing from you... Regards,Brett and Rhonda Morton Mailtrack Sender notified by Mailtrack 02/09/23, 12:26:53 PM
From:Michael Plath
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:[Spam?] Mineral Lake Rezone application update / land use
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 12:06:51 PM
Importance:Low
Subj.: To Lewis County Commissioners
I'm writing this letter in support of the proposed Mineral Lake Y camp land use rezoneproject. I believe that a youth camp of this nature will be a true benefit to the Mineral Lake
community not only by being a good neighbor, but also as a buffer protecting this pristinewildlife area from otherwise unscrupulous and potentially insensitive corporate development
motives.
The Y youth camps teach environmental awareness, land use stewardship, protecting natural
resources, and yes, community involvement, morals, integrity, inclusion, generosity,volunteering and much more. Have you visited a Y camp to see for yourself? I have.
Although I don't live in Lewis County, we spend much of our free time visiting friends whoare homeonners in Lewis County. I have had the privilege of having personal experiences
with the Y, and I hold the entire organization in the highest esteem. I have seen remarkablethings in many kids that have attended the camps where they have grown to become highly
responsible adults and community leaders like yourself.
I was born in 1945 and first attended camp Coleman at Horsehead Bay when I was 10 years
old. It's hard to explain the wonderful learning experiences I had back then. Since then I havehad two children that attended Camp Orkila in the San Juan's year after year, with one of my
kids becoming a camp counselor, a camp director, and has been involved in many otherenvironmental non-profit organizations. I personally documented pictures and stories of
parents, grandparents and great grandparents of kids that attended Y camp for Orkila’s 100year anniversary. I've participated with my kids on overnight canoe outings, I've piloted boats
taking kids to overnight island trips in the San Juans and have gotten to know others in thecamp organization including directors, facilities managers, admin people, environmental
teachers, craft teachers and others that love and volunteer supporting kids.
Has the camp lost its way, it's beliefs, and morals over the years? On the contrary. The Y has
become more aware, increasingly caring and highly sensitive to community needs.
I don't need to live in Lewis County to understand that accepting a Y camp at Mineral Lake
will be a golden opportunity for the people, the neighbors and the community as a whole.
Sincerely,
Michael Plath
206-396-0423
ᐧ
February 8, 2023 Mineral Re-Zone Lewis County Board of County Commissioners, The prevailing sentiment that I have received based on their presentations while attending meetings, both in person or via Zoom, is that the Lewis County Planning and Economic Developments are very much in favor of the Mineral Re-Zone. So much so, that during many presentations, they word things in such a manner, that it could most certainly cause folk to believe there is some real ‘need’ for this Re-Zone and by not approving the Re-Zone, the County will have done something wrong. Nothing could be further from the truth. It certainly appears that the Planning and Economic Development Departments in Lewis County are playing politics, when instead they should be representing the greater interests of the larger majority of the folks in Mineral who oppose the Re-Zone. We need to ensure folk truly understand what we are talking about and not confuse things with articulate presentations which can mislead folks. County personnel state ‘This IS NOT Spot-Zoning and...the law allows it.’ Does that simple statement make it a good idea? Where is the transitional zoning? There is none. The Lewis County Comprehensive Plan, is a ‘guiding’ document, not a statutory document. The Planning Department states that there are no Master Planned Resorts in Lewis County and that the approval of the Mineral Re-Zone would ‘satisfy’ this portion of the Lewis County Comprehensive Plan. Where does it state in the in the Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) that an MPR is required in Lewis County in order to be in compliance with the GMA? It doesn’t. The Lewis County Comprehensie Plan states MPR’s may allowed, but it does not state anywhere that there is a requirement to have one in County in order for the County to be in compliance with the Washington GMA. The presentations also includes mention of “...does the Mineral Re-Zone benefit the community?” It has been stated by County personnel, that when considering the community, it is not just about the community of Mineral, but rather is much larger, including folks/entities outside of Mineral. On this we will agree, and disagree. While I agree that there are folks outside of Mineral who constitute part of the ‘larger’ community, the community most impacted should the Re-Zone be approved, is the greater community of Mineral. County personnel, as well as others, have given presentations or provided information indicating that the proposed Mineral Re-Zone will have minimal impact to wildlife and the environment, adding that there is not a significant wildlife population in the effected area. Again, I agree and disagree. If you live in the Greater Yellowstone Basin or along the Rocky Mountain Front, a herd of 10 deer or 20 elk is nothing. If you live in Washington State, those are good sized herds. Destroying the habitat and displacing the animals, as well as destroying the peace and tranquility of the Mineral area in favor of this Re-Zone seems beyond foolish. Once it is gone, you will never return to that state. The statement has been made by many, that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) can put ‘conditions’ on their approval of the Re-Zone. That is akin to letting the horse out of the barn and then trying to figure out how you are going to get said horse back in the barn all the while knowing the horse has to go back in the barn. If the horse is not let out, there is no need to get it back. Regardless of who owns the property, the County does not have unlimited resources to fight appeal after appeal should an owner have the resources to challenge the ‘conditions’ put in place by the BOCC. Many folks, like my family and I, grew up either in or recreating in the Mineral area. We began coming to the area as children, and continue to do so because of the beauty and tranquility, as well as the recreational opportunities it offers. It’s resident wildlife populations and picturesque scenery have provided us with a lifetime of memories and we are hoping it will continue to do the same for our children and grandchildren who have begun to recreate with us in Mineral. We have enjoyed the area so much, that we continue to be active and involved landowners. The bottom line is; the proposed Mineral Re-Zone is not making the best use of the area in question and there is no true ‘need’ that will be met by approving the Re-Zone. The town/community of Mineral has been in existence since the late 1800’s. It is not imperative for the Re-zone to be approved for the community to continue to be a vital part of Lewis County. As a landowner in Mineral, I ask that the Board of County Commissioners represent the greater number of constituents in Mineral who oppose the Mineral Re-Zone. Mark Waters 164 Mineral Hill Rd. Mineral, WA. 98355
From:Noreen Plath
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:[Spam?] Mineral Lake Rezone
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 3:58:27 PM
Importance:Low
February 13th, 2023
Attention: Lewis County Commissioners
Lewis County Community Development
Mindy Brooks, Senior Long Range Planner
Mindy.Brooks@lewiscountywa.gov :
RE: Ordinance 1343 – Mineral Lake Rezone
I want to comment and ask you to please approve the Y’s Mineral Lakedevelopment from our experience of being active Y members and parents whohave benefited greatly from sending our children to camps that are highlyrecognized as the best in the world.
Over the past 35 years I have recommended Y Camps, especially Camp Orkila toevery parent who is wondering if they should send their child to a Y camp andwhat is the benefit of doing so? I have seen very “shy children” blossom intooutgoing secure children after spending just a few weeks away from home at aY camp. These campers learn about the Outdoors, exploring the natural world,experimenting with science or simply playing a game and doing very cute andfunny skits in front of the entire camp at the end of the day.
We donate when we can so that more families can also send their children tothe Y’s Camp Orkila but hope to be able to send our grandchildren and greatgrandchildren to your future YMCA Camp at Mineral Lake.
The Y has 94,000 staff, 920,000 volunteers and 12,00 branches worldwideserving over 60 million people a year across 120 countries. I encourage all ofyou to visit a Y Camp and put your faith and trust into the Y at Mineral Lake. These are good people and have your best interests.
Based on the hateful comments all using the same “disinformation verbiage”
many credited to the authoritarian pastor of Calvary Chapel at Centralia I only
ask you to look at the facts that it seems odd that many have chosen to ignore
the mission of the Y to strike fear and loathing into your community to make
you believe that having the camp is a bad thing. Imagine that a former Y
member could be spreading disinformation about being kicked out of a Y for
disruptive behavior. The Y is not going to discuss with you what a former
member did but as I am an active member, I feel safe and protected every time
I attend any event at my local Y.
Giving children the opportunity to attend the Y Camp at Mineral Lake will teach
them so much more about getting along with each other instead of believing insome disinformation campaign..
What exactly is being taught to citizens of your county that would make themwant to throw away a great opportunity to make this world a better place?
As Commissioners I know you must choose what is best for the citizens of yourcounty and by approving and partnering with the Y you know that the Y willprotect the natural environment of Mineral Lake in the decades ahead byleaving the forest substantially intact and undeveloped Mineral Lake protected
If you look at this as a land issue a large Developer could clear the Mineral Lakearea for development and deny the thousands of campers and families theopportunities to learn about ways to better themselves, their communities andto better their world. I know that having this camp will make a positivedifference and impact for all, not just the developers who might not care aboutLewis County’s Mineral Lake as much as our state’s Y does.
There is so much more to learn about the benefits of having the Y invest andprovide the jobs and economic good impact this will be for all of Lewis County.
In closing I would encourage all of you to read the Y’s website for YMCA CAMPAT MINERAL LAKE:
https://www.seattleymca.org/programs/camp-and-outdoor-leadership/mineral-lake
“Y outdoor education at Mineral Lake will nurture the potential of youth,
promote healthy living and foster social responsibility.
For over 100 years, the Y's Camp Colman and Camp Orkila have
provided world-class outdoor education in the Washington
communities of Orcas Island and Longbranch on the Key Peninsula,
demonstrating a proven history of good stewardship of both the land
and the youth that attend our camps.”
Someday I would like the Y’s Mineral Lake to be listed alongside Camp Coleman
and Camp Orkila. Maybe I will even have an opportunity to volunteer as we
often visit friends who have homes in your beautiful county.
Sincerely,
Noreen F Plath
206-39-0425
ᐧ
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure
From:Margot Page
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Mineral Rezone/YMCA camp: Letter of support
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 9:01:10 AM
To the Lewis County Board of Commissioners:
I strongly support the proposed Mineral Rezone, and urge the commission to support it as well. I am
a property owner in Mineral, living in a one-room cabin on five acres which I open to campers during
the summer. I also own, with my family, property on Mineral Creek Road. We had planned to create
a little family compound there, but fears for our little town have us reconsidering.
Primary reasons for supporting the rezone
I’ve given this issue a great deal of thought and research. My main reasons for supporting the rezone and the
camp fall into three buckets. The bulk of the rest of the letter will focus on the first:
1. Demographic facts and recent events (see below for both) indicate that this once-thriving town needs
more people (and of diverse ages) and more job opportunities to survive the next 10 years. The YMCA
camp, bringing attention, $$, and employment, could be a source of this assistance.
2. Deep research has convinced me that the YMCA will be an excellent member of the MIneral community.
I went back 10 years in the areas of Orcas Island and the Kitsap Peninsula, looking for evidence of what their
neighbors think. In local papers, both editorials and letters to the editor are overwhelmingly positive about
the presence of these existing camps in the community. They show the camps to be positive, contributing
forces far beyond just the campers themselves and into the surrounding communities. Simply put, their
other neighbors seem to love having these camps close by. That’s persuasive!
3. Valid community concerns have been addressed to my satisfaction. These include concerns about
Fire Department coverage and possible development beyond the proposed camp. These have
been covered in many places and I won’t re-address them here.
Detail on bucket one: Demographic facts and recent events indicate that this once-
thriving town needs more people (and of diverse ages) and more job opportunities to
survive the next 10 years.
I’d like to point out some demographic truths, as well as discuss two local events – the closing of one
of just two public businesses in town, as well as the recent shooting death of one of our neighbors in
the Mineral downtown “core”.
1. Demographic facts, all sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and placed in the context of
Chehalis, Lewis County, Washington state, and the U.S.
a. Mineral’s population is declining rapidly, which is extraordinary when compared to
Chehalis, our county, our state, and our country.
Region Population change
2010-2020
Population
change in %
Mineral 210 to 135 -46%
Chehalis 7,439 to 7,259 +1%
Lewis County 75,543 to 84,398 +12%
Washington State 6.7mm to 7.7mm +15%
USA 308mm to 340mm + 7%
Mineral doesn’t need to keep up with the state or even the county to be a happy
little town – and we don’t want to. But a 46% decline is not just failing to keep up – it
is dying. Please help us reverse this trend.
b. Mineral’s median age is well above average.
Region Average age,
2021
Mineral 62
Chehalis 34
Lewis County 43
Washington State 38
USA 40
This town deserves better than to slowly die off. There is currently little to attract
year-round families to our town. We have hardly any children here, or young adults.
The once- thriving elementary school closed 20 years ago, and now our kids are
bused to Morton. The employment opportunities and attention to the area of the
YMCA camp could be a step in getting us back on the map, to letting this part of the
state be better known to larger numbers of people – people who might return to
hike Mount Rainier, paddle on the lake where they were once campers, enjoy the
tranquility of this beautiful area and perhaps even put down some roots.
c. Mineral’s median income is well below average.
Region Median income
2021
Mineral $18, 097
Chehalis $45,195
Lewis County $58,911
Washington State $78,687
USA $65,712
When looking at our median age, I asked that you help us attract youth and
energy. Looking at our financial situation, it’s clear we need to attract some
money, too. We need jobs. We need people.
Reviewing the tables above, I think we can agree that the demographic data for Mineral is not
hopeful. Change is hard – but the data show that change is happening. If the town is to survive
and have a future, we need that change to be positive.
Now, let’s look at some very recent events – both took place in the time after the
Commissioners’ rejection of the rezone and are worthy, I believe, of a reconsideration of that
vote.
Example 1: Since the Commissioners’ rejection of the recommendation, Mineral Market closed
on January 1.
After trying throughout 2022 to find a buyer for her struggling store, the owner, who lives here in
town, finally just shuttered it. There just wasn’t enough business to keep it open. This leaves us with
one other public business downtown – Headquarters Tavern.
How do we live in a town where we can’t get a quart of milk?
How do I attract my own summer campers when the “downtown” is just a dying husk?
How do I convince my extended family to invest here, to build, rather than just selling the land we
bought together?
Example 2: On January 23 of this year, downtown Mineral saw a shooting death in which a wife
put five bullets into her husband after a fight.
Terrible things happen everywhere. But a big piece of the other side’s argument seems to be: “Don’t
bring development to our sweet, small town. We are so happy in our idyllic country place.”
Maybe it’s not always that idyllic. Yes, we are family here, and yes, we love our country culture of
taking care of one other. But beneath that truth lies something darker. We also have real problems
with alcoholism, drugs, and unemployment. Domestic violence, murder, drug use, and crime are
verifiably more common in places where income is low and despair is high.
The Y could bring needed employment opportunities (a store! Even a coffee shop!) to our town.
With these things could also come a renewed sense of hope. Kids laughing. Counselors coming
through on their day off, grabbing (if we can offer it) snacks, coffee, pizza. Locals and visitors
bonding over the Seahawks game at the tavern.
In closing
I don’t know what more evidence the Commission needs to change its vote. What will make them
see that this little town, which so many of us love – could truly die if they don’t help? The YMCA isn’t
out to change the heart of this town – but it truly could give us a fighting chance to keep this corner
of rural America alive.
We want to be a town -- our own Mineral self, with a little downtown core and place where
neighbors congregate. Not just another bedroom community, where rural folks have to go
elsewhere to get their needs (from social/emotional to groceries) met. There aren’t many of us left,
and we are hurting. Please give us the YMCA camp. Please give us a chance.
Thank you for your attention,
Margot Page
102-52 Roundtop Road
Mineral, WA 98355
206.930.6501
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure
the message is legitimate before opening it.
From:Hannah Page-Salisbury
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Support for YMCA
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 9:12:44 AM
Dear Lewis County Board of Commissioners,
I am a property owner in Mineral, writing to voice my strong support of the rezone being
sought to support the YMCA’s planned camp at Mineral Lake.
Given the many, many hearings, the Y’s efforts to address all the town’s questions, and, finally,
the unanimous support of the Planning Commission, I assumed the vote for the Mineral
Rezone didn't need my voice to go through. A humbling reminder never to assume. I am
writing now to implore the County Commissioners to reconsider their vote. I strongly support
this rezone for the following reasons:
Our town needs an injection of young people and young families. Demographic data show
that our population is dwindling – as well as getting older and poorer. We no longer
have employment in this town, and little reason for young people to stay. We have the
perfect setting to remake ourselves as a year-round recreation center. This camp could
help us do that, even as it offers employment opportunities we that are currently
completely lacking.
Improvement of local Fire Department/Paramedic resources would be net positive for our
community. The Y has committed to paying for the necessary improvements, and that’s
good enough for me.
A lot of the fearmongering surrounding the camp is inaccurate. I'm not sure why people
think the Y wanting to build a camp here means the Nisqually would build a casino,
when that is against anything the Y has ever done. In addition, my understanding is that
the idea of a casino is written out of the covenants for the rezone, and that those
covenants pass along to any future buyers of the land. I love this town and understand
the fear that comes with change, but this particular fear appears completely unfounded,
and I'd be sad to see an opportunity for new resources flowing into the area turned
away because of concerns about "risks" that don't actually exist.
This rezone vote is about land use and only land use. Somehow this seems to have gotten
very political, which is confusing as well as inappropriate. The question at play is
whether a children’s camp is a reasonable use of the land. This should be the only
question on which this vote is based. (For what it’s worth, I went to YMCA camps my
whole childhood and was never indoctrinated in anything but how to make a lanyard,
sing songs around the campfire, and be kind to the campers and counselors.)
Thank you for your attention. Again, as a property owner in Mineral who wants a bright future
for this town, I strongly support the Mineral Rezone.
Sincerely,
Hannah Page-Salisbury
Age 31
133 Mineral Creek Rd S, Morton, WA 98356
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensurethe message is legitimate before opening it.
From:Glenn Palmer
To:mindy.brooks@lewiscountywa.gov.
Subject:Resolution regarding YMCA camp
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 2:55:44 PM
Dear Commissioners,
I’m writing to urge you to stick with the original decision you made about not allowing the Seattle YMCA to build a
camp in Lewis County.
I am opposed to the camp because of the amount of money we taxpayers in Lewis County will have to pay towards
infrastructure improvements in the area where they want to build.
I am also opposed to the radical values the Seattle YMCA will bring here. They are not our values.
Please say no to the YMCA.
Glenn Palmer
147 Grimes Rd
Centralia, Wa. 98531
Sent from my iPad
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure the message is legitimate before opening
it.
To the Lewis County Commissioners, 2-11-2023
My name is Kurt Roehm, I reside in Mineral at PO Box 19. I am a Mineral resident and property
owner since 2016. I am neither for nor against The YMCA opening a youth camp on Mineral
Lake.
The issue here is private property rights. If they are able to clear all the hurdles in front of them
then they deserve to develop their property as they choose.
The overall economy relies on growth to fuel it. Trees grow for fifty years then they are
harvested, the loggers and all the connected parts benefit from it.
However what about the local residents that need a job and they are not a logger? It is the job
of the Lewis County Commissioners to manage growth for all residents. There are very few jobs
in Mineral.
I have nothing against the YMCA. They taught me how to swim and they taught me gymnastics.
They have committed themselves to helping all youth. What if many children decided to
become foresters or biologists because of the YMCA? They are our neighbors and I feel it
would be worse if we had 20 custom homes and docks on the north end of the lake because
that is what the property is currently zoned for.
As a fire commissioner I know it will be difficult to service the facility with our infrastructure
and personal at this time. The Sheriff has also limited man power and response time. We need
to have these issues addressed. Many places are roads are only 20’ wide, what happens if a
logging truck comes head to head with a school bus.
According to their website and newspaper articles the YMCA will start rustic camping this year
so a dry run is going to happen whether we like it or not.
People are nervous about change. The Elderly are worried about picking up the extra cost in
taxes associated with growth. My neighbors talk about the issue of indecent exposure
happening at other YMCA’s across the USA. Others want to know just how Christen the YMCA
is today, do they hold worship services? The issue of nonprofit property tax exemption would
be detrimental to Sherriff, Fire and EMS services. What happens if there is a future change of
ownership, Can a master planned resort become a nudist colony or Casino? Will they allow
hunters to access the timberlands? These were the most important questions asked of me to
relay.
Kurt Roehm PO Box 19 Mineral, WA 98355
From:Anthony Salisbury
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Support for the Mineral Rezone
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 12:30:42 PM
Dear Lewis County Board of Commissioners,
As a Morton property owner, specifically within our small town of Mineral, I want to express strong
support for the proposed and advised, Mineral rezone related to Mineral Lake and the YMCA’s
camp.
Setting aside my surprise that the Board of Commissioners essentially rejected the work and efforts
of the Lewis County Planning Commission, a unanimous, advisory decision to move forward with the
rezone, I’ll outline below my thinking, hopes and expectations.
Change is inevitable. Separately or collectively, we can embrace and manage it, to the extent
possible, or we can deny it and let it run roughshod over us. Urban and rural areas both are subject
to change. And the ways in which we, or in this case you the Commissioners, effect and affect
change, are critical to quality of life for many: now, in the near future, and in the distant future. The
Board has demonstrated, repeatedly, its faith and confidence in the Planning Commission, most
recently voting per the recommendations of the Commission on all changes for the county’s
comprehensive plan except for the Mineral rezone.
Clearly, other issues are in play.
But, in simple terms, this is a land use issue and should be decided as such. Is an overnight, youth
camp appropriate use of the land? And will its development cause adversity or promote nature and
health? The YMCA has pledged to pay for necessary improvements in local, first responder funding.
The YMCA, a non-profit organization, is beholden to its board of trustees; it will not subdivide or
create parcels for single family homes or otherwise sell the land to for-profit developers. Its mission
is “to improve the lives of the vulnerable members of society, including children, youths, and their
communities.” It’s difficult for me to think of a better steward of the land and the community than
an organization like that.
Let’s leverage the help and support that the YMCA can bring to Mineral both as a large landowner, a
very experienced and successful camp builder, and a pivotal, organizational member of Lewis
County.
Anthony Salisbury, 59 years old
133 Mineral Creek Rd S.
Mineral, WA
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure
the message is legitimate before opening it.
From:Rieva Lester
To:william serrahn
Cc:Lindsey Pollock; Sean Swope; Scott Brummer; Mindy Brooks
Subject:RE: Lewis County"s Lost Opportunities
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 8:00:51 AM
Attachments:image001.png
Good morning Bill --
Thank you for the email dated Feb. 11, 2023.
Unfortunately, since the YMCA rezone is a quasi-judicial matter that will come before the Board of
County Commissioners (BOCC) for a decision at a later date, the Commissioners are unable to
respond.
The Commissioners regret that they are unable to reply, but state law requires that they hear about
this matter only at the public meeting.
I am CCing Mindy Brooks at Community Development (mindy.brooks@lewiscountywa.gov) and
providing her with a copy of your letter for inclusion in the official record. Should you have any
additional comments and concerns, please reach out to Mindy, who serves as the point of contact
for public testimony on this matter.
Thank you again,
Rieva Lester
Clerk of the Board
Lewis County Board of County Commissioners
351 N.W. North St.
Chehalis, WA 98532
360-740-1419 I Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov
From: william serrahn <wjserrahn@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 11, 2023 9:18 AM
To: Lindsey Pollock <Lindsey.Pollock@lewiscountywa.gov>; Sean Swope
<Sean.Swope@lewiscountywa.gov>; Scott Brummer <Scott.Brummer@lewiscountywa.gov>; Rieva
Lester <Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Lewis County's Lost Opportunities
Commissioners, I've written to the BOCC members about lost opportunities before. I feel strongly that we aremissing out on something which is good for the community of Mineral, good for LewisCounty, good for young people and their families, and good for society as a whole. I truly hope you search your hearts on this and find a path to success for this Youth Camp atMineral.
Thank you,
Bill SerrahnPackwood, WA 98361
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure themessage is legitimate before opening it.
From:BOCC
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Fw: MARKED AS SPAM BY AKISMET: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 2:04:01 PM
From: Camren Prater <Camren.Prater@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 1:30 PM
To: BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>; Tammy Martin <Tammy.Martin@lewiscountywa.gov>;
Rieva Lester <Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Fw: MARKED AS SPAM BY AKISMET: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Message that hit the contact form spam filter.
Camren Prater
ITS3 - Developer
Camren.Prater@lewiscountywa.gov
From: contact@lewiscountywa.gov <contact@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:50 AM
To: Camren Prater <Camren.Prater@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: MARKED AS SPAM BY AKISMET: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Name: Kathryn SmithEmail: rohrus@yahoo.com
Message: Dear Lewis County Board of Commissioners, I am against the proposed YMCArezone at Mineral Lake. First, A Master Resort does nothing to address needed housing.
Second, we should not approve large tracts of our county's Timberland to be rezoned. Thestate has lost over 400,000 acres of working forest and is on track to lose 660,00 more in the
next two decades. Our local timber industry jobs depend on the county's 900,000 acres ofTimberland. Losing 2100 acres is no small potatoes. With the DNR moving to carbon
sequestration it is more important to reserve our local timber forests. It's not like we have aproposal of a small 10 acre parcel near a municipality that can be turned into needed housing
tracts. Please vote no on the proposed YMCA rezone Kathryn Smith Toledo
From:Meghan Wagner
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Letter in support of Y for Mineral Lake property
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 3:59:11 PM
Quite simply, the Y changed my life. From an incredibly young age, the Y taught me how to make friends, go on
hikes, appreciate nature, make great s’mores and respect others.
I have been a lifelong member of the Y - from after school childcare, to day camps, to resident overnight camps and
now as an adult, an active volunteer. I have traveled around the country and have visited many Y summer camps and
I can you the values of respect, responsibility, honesty, and caring are evident and front and center at all programs.
I truly believe all children should experience a Y overnight camp experience. And if we want this next generation of
youth to care for our forests, water and land - they must have an opportunity to connect with nature, learn outdoor
skills, be educated in environmental education classes and develop lifelong memories.
This conflict seems manufactured by a small but vocal group of opposition who truly are uneducated and
misinformed about the Y and its mission. It is evident that many in the opposition have never spent a day visiting a
Y program or summer camp. That is not thoughtful nor mature for them to be opposed to something they clearly
know nothing about. I’m dismayed to see such a fear-based misinformation campaign happening in the community.
Please don’t let a small group of uneducated people ruin this incredible opportunity for generations of youth and
their families.
We spend 90% of our time indoors, but 100% of our most memorable experinces happen in nature. Please don’t
deny our youth the opportunity to be involved and engaged in outdoor programs.
-Meghan Wagner
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure the message is legitimate before opening
it.
From:BOCC
To:katwat@centurytel.net
Cc:Mindy Brooks
Subject:RE: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 11:28:19 AM
Attachments:StrategiesGoodWrittenTestimony_January2023.pdfStrategiesGoodOralTestimony_January2023.pdf
Thank you for submitting your comments to the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
Unfortunately, since this is a quasi-judicial matter that will come before the BOCC for a decision at a
later date, the Commissioners are unable to respond.
The commissioners regret that they are unable to reply, but state law requires that they hear about
this matter only at the public meeting.
I am CCing Mindy Brooks at Community Development (mindy.brooks@lewiscountywa.gov). Mindy is
the contact for public testimony for this topic and can let you know when the record will open for
written testimony.
For information on how to participate in the public meeting, please contact Community
Development at 360-740-2677.
From: contact@lewiscountywa.gov <contact@lewiscountywa.gov>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 10:58 AM
To: Rieva Lester <Rieva.Lester@lewiscountywa.gov>; Tammy Martin
<Tammy.Martin@lewiscountywa.gov>; BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: Email from Commissioners Contact Form
Name: Kathy & Carl WatsonEmail: katwat@centurytel.net
Message: Regarding the YMCA and rezoning, please maintaining the 2100 acres at MineralLake in forestry as part of the 900,000 acres of forestry parcels and our local timber industry.
We want to keep rural areas rural. We have different values than the current Seattle YMCA.We am not in agreement with them. Thank you for standing for a strong community. Regards,
Kathy Watson Carl Watson 440 Leudinghaus Rd. Chehalis, WA 98532User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; Linux x86_64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko)
Chrome/108.0.0.0 Safari/537.36IP Address: 63.224.46.68
From:BOCC
To:Mindy Brooks
Subject:Fw: [Spam?] YMCA
Date:Monday, February 13, 2023 8:47:22 AM
From: Kyle Wheeler <kyle88wheeler@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, February 13, 2023 7:56 AM
To: BOCC <BOCC@lewiscountywa.gov>
Subject: [Spam?] YMCA
On Tuesday February 14th at 10:00 the Lewis County Board of Commissioners will reopen public comment regarding ordinance 1343 - the YMCA rezone. Lewis County is trying to backtrack and make the process suddenly have the appearance of fairness, when it has been blatantly and openly violated in multiple ways thus far. I previously wrote a letter to the editor in early December touching on this subject but The Chronicle never posted it to their website as they do everyone else’s so I am unable to link to it for reference.
The county created their very own guide on the quasi judicial process which all commissioners are presumed to have been briefed on. It can be viewed at bit.ly/LCQuasiGuide .
To directly quote some of the key takeaways from the appearance of fairness doctrine as listed in the county’s own guide.
1. Commissioners can not discuss the quasi-judicial matter with constituents or anyone else except at the hearing. This means all forms of communication, including verbal (by phone or in person) and written (by mail or email).
2. Commissioners can only consider what is presented in the record (no ex parte contacts).
3. Commissioners must be fair to all sides.If they cannot be fair, they must recuse themselves.
4. Commissioners should be calm, polite and evenhanded, and they must be firm about the rules. If a person is entitled to only 5 minutes to speak, either courteously stop them after 5 minutes or else allow them, and everyone else as well, more time.
Let's briefly examine each point and the violation(s) the county appeas to have committed thus far.
1. Commissioners can not discuss the quasi-judicial matter with constituents or anyone else except at the hearing. This means all forms of communication, including verbal (by phone or in person) and written (by mail or email).
Sean Swope participated in documented ex parte contact prior to the November hearing when specifically discussing tax exemptions and singling out the YMCA for reporting in email conversations with former Assessor Dorey. The county has yet to provide me with the reports that were being discussed or any other information clarifying this ex parte contact. The email conversation prior to the November hearing can be viewed at bit.ly/SwopeTheTaxMan .
2. Commissioners can only consider what is presented in the record (no ex parte contacts).
See above point regarding emails and conversations held prior to and outside of the hearing.
3. Commissioners must be fair to all sides. If they cannot be fair, they must recuse themselves.
Sean Swope was blatantly unfair to one side in this process when revealing his internal bias and desire to single out the YMCA, and only the YMCA, based upon perceived political differences having absolutely nothing to do with a land use rezone process. Knowing his history of such actions, equating others to livestock, taking away all proclamations rather than sign a single one, etc.
4. Commissioners should be calm, polite and evenhanded, and they must be firm about the rules. If a person is entitled to only 5 minutes to speak, either courteously stop them after 5 minutes or else allow them, and everyone else as well, more time.
In Chronicle reporting that can be viewed at bit.ly/ChronWatchesYourRightsBeViolated it is mentioned that someone "gave" their time to another speaker. This was violating the appearance of fairness doctrine as the gifting of comment time is not allowed. If one speaker was allowed 5 minutes to speak, everyone else should have been allowed the same amount of time to speak. The county had multiple agents from the prosecuting attorney's office, human resources, and community development present at this meeting specifically to present on how to follow the the process correctly, while idly sitting by and watching it be violated in front of their very eyes.
Lewis County has shown that one or more of it’s commissioners simply cannot be fair to all sides in this matter and should recuse themself from any remaining matters. They have also shown a system wide incapability to stand up to their bigot commissioner and correct a legal process even when it is being violated in front of them. Lewis County should recuse itself, entirely, from anything else associated with this and simply wait for the process to play out in Thurston County where the petitioners have a legitimate chance for fairness and don’t have to deal with the internal bias of their rezone hearing adjudicators playing into the process.
These comments are free to be copied and submitted or modified to include your own thoughts. Public comment on this matter can be submitted to bocc@lewiscountywa.gov
Kyle Wheeler
Lewis County Resident
External Email - Remember to think before you click!
This message may contain links with malware, viruses, etc. Please ensure
the message is legitimate before opening it.