I’m writing to flag some recent reporting by Jim Scarantino in another venue about the Evans Vista property development and to encourage The Leader to follow up as well. Several bad decisions made by city officials have resulted in ill-conceived massive expenditures of taxpayers money on the Evans Vista property for “affordable” homes that are unlikely to ever be built. A rebuttal by the City Council would be most welcome. Lacking an opposing statement from Council, it appears $2.1 million has been spent so far by the City and the State on land acquisition and consultants for a housing plan proposed and favored by city manager John Mauro that is more like an expansive Italian villa than a reasonable solution for the homeless. Worse, the initial expenditure was spent prior to the city manager making an economic feasibility study. According to Scarantino’s reporting, that study revealed the cost of land, infrastructure and construction would be far greater than market value. If that is correct, It would seem hubris, ego, ambition, and lack of due diligence was all overlooked by the Port Townsend City Council, which instead bestowed outrageous salary, and recent “glowing reviews” for Mauro.

George Bush

Port Townsend