The City of St. Helens has fallen into the group of Barnum and Baily's "sucker group" of There's a Fool Born Every minute. While the city spreads propaganda to brainwash its citizens on the benefits of being a upland dredge disposal recipient of hazardous materials. They have failed to mention the need for costly long term liability insurance to cover the site in case it leeches out or has an unforeseen event. They have neglected to convey the possible cost of having to cover the cost of monitoring and managing the site. So far the city puts on the act of receiving toxic chemicals as a good thing when they either don't know all the associated costs or are not being forth right to the taxpayers.

The city has never mentioned that the State of Oregon owns this material which is somewhat equivalent to dredge spoils--and the state would receive royalties from the material, costing the city taxpayers millions. Unless the state agrees to waive the royalties the taxpayers will be on the hook. Then the next problem arises - what will these spoils be classified? After all they will be dredge up and deposited in Columbia County. They just might fall under the county's Natural Resource and Depletion Fee and Transportation Ordinance just like all other dredge spoils. Will the county waive their fee or collect the associated fee? Either way they go they will be a participant in the degradation of the community unless they speak out against this poor thought out plan.

The city knows that the current water treatment plant is leaking and leeching into the Willamette River and the Columbia River. I wonder why they won't make the results of the testing document available to the public when asked. Better yet why is the state allowing the city a pass on the leeching discharge of waste water pollution into nearby waterways? The city is aware of the problem. Instead of trying to wheel and deal their way into a new water treatment facility which apparently they need. Why don't they just be forth right with the community and take action to rectify the problem?

Instead of taking toxic material from Portland's harbors and contaminating our community even more, and being on the hook for future associated costs and risks. And then depending on the bribery payment to take the toxins in order to pay for a new treatment facility, the city needs to do what is right without wheeling and dealing. If it sounds too good to be true then it usually is.