September 29, 2008 Spokesman
Posted by John Woodbery
The meeting opened at 6:20 PM with everyone passing by Bob Auslander as greeter on the way in and President Bob Webb opening with the flag salute. Dave Aubrey offered the best inspiration he could give considering the finacial crisis of our nation by reminding the members and guests that we have seen much worse times before like World War II. With our manpower, initiative and undying hope, the free world survived. We can do it again.
Guests were introdced including former Kirkland Rotarian David Tucker, Conrad Walters (Seattle Four) , Mike Hunter's wife Sharon and Boeing engineer Makonan Georges a Boeing engineer originally from Ethiopia who is checking into Rotary. Patty Sims announced that Pascal Kuntz, our Swiss exchange student, who won his first tennis match for LDub "Roos" could not be here tonight. He also attended a Mariner's game with David Hunnicut who announced that he had returned from a presentation in Seoul Korea as an international real estate guest lecturer.
Pat Dye thanked the many Rotarians who attended the Residence Twelve fund raiser, president Bob included. The Kirkland Rotary Foundation contributed $5,000 to the event and was a prime sponsor. On November 16th (Sunday) at KPC, Penny LeGate of KIRO News will be the speaker at a dessert reception for District 5030 at $10.00 per person in lieu of our regular Novemebr 17th meeting to report on Polio Plus and Rotary INternational efforts to end that dreaded disease.
Dave Aubry announced that this week you must sign up or lose the chance to do the Rotary Yakima Valley wine tour with the Club on October 11-12. 17-18 are signed up so far. Competing will be a Northwest Harvest on Saturday volunteer day.
Steve Shinstrom announced that the annual Bunko night will be hosted at his home on October 18th with a 50's Rock and Roll theme. Chuck Brokway ran into the Sutherlands on Bainbridge Island (fortunately no one was hurt) and they sent their greetings, now attending a club accross the sound.
Steve Brown sttod in as Chancellor and collected his usual bundle of happy dollars, the details of each generous contribution will be omitted. One interesting comment by Rick Ostrander was that at Cougar games this year you can sit anywhere you want. Steve replied without paying (darn it) that since the Nittany Lions (whatever that critter is, or is it like a Hoya?) are undefeated giving him the right to brag and the Cougars and Huskies have won between them exactly none, a match up this year between these normal powerhouses could end up nothing to nothing after three overtimes (how cruel can an unfined comment get?)
The spealer for the evening on the subject of the "Climate Initiative" was Matt Steurerwalt from the Governor's Executive Policy Office who informed us that climate change may very well have serious consequences with the lack of a snow pack in the Columbia Basin which serves as a storage capacity for Washington water, is a real threat. Governors from 11 western US States and Provinces of Canada have agreed to jointly look for solutions with innovative ideas including a cap and trade program. Forty-five ideas as solutions have been formed so far by various committees in Washington in the effort narrowed down to 8 which will be further narrowed to the top three or four to prresent to the Washington Legislature this coming session. The earliest the programs, if approved, could start would be 2012. Current budget concerns may obviate even that for the immediate year as cuts in state spending (did you hear that sports fans) will be front and center this session. There were several questions such as why our state refused an oil pipeline proposal during Governor Spellman's administration that would have generated much revenue for the state by now. The answer was that the last act of Senator Magnuson was to add an amendment under federal law prohibiting refineries east of Port Angeles, without such expansion the pipe line could never work economically. Matt said that a natural; gas pipeline out of Alaska was more likely in today's green enviiornment than oil or a wood waste ethanol program that doesn't have food impact concerns like the corn program everyone agrees may have been a mistake. Those with questions were urged to e-mail Matt who said he was good at that way of corresponding rather than the telephone. His address is
matt.steuerwalt@gov.wa.gov
and his phone number is 360-902-0499.
Joanne Primavera won the ticket draw but guessed #1 against the long established trend of little dukie #5 which was the correct choice once again
John Woodbery, Scribe