As a faculty principal, Bente Klatt is answerable for greater than 500 college students and dozens of lecturers and staffers at Fairmount Elementary College in Snohomish County. She takes the duty critically.
So when Mountain Loop Mine established a gravel yard a couple of toes from her college within the Mukilteo College District and started trucking gravel out and in, she, workers members and fogeys have been proper to be involved and to complain.
The primary grievance to Snohomish County got here on April 7, 2023, with dozens extra to comply with. After an inspection the county gave the corporate three months to get the required permits wanted to function the enterprise.
Although the corporate’s operations are allowed underneath county zoning, the county knowledgeable the corporate that it wants a land-disturbing-activity allow, a enterprise park ultimate website plan approval allow and a state Environmental Safety Act overview.
However as a substitute of sitting down with college officers and fogeys to work out an answer, and acquiring the permits, the corporate had its legal professional ship a stop and desist letter to Klatt that principally stated cease complaining or else.
The legal professional representing the corporate acknowledged in her letter that if the principal continues to complain concerning the exercise on the gravel yard, “Mountain Loop Mine can have no alternative however to think about all obtainable authorized recourse in opposition to you and Fairmount Elementary College.”
Unhealthy transfer.
Possibly the legal professionals defending Mountain Loop Mine and its gravel operation simply don’t get it. However the lecturers, directors and fogeys of scholars from Fairmount Elementary College clearly do.
Residents are allowed to complain to their elected officers once they encounter public issues that want public treatments. Petitioning the federal government for a redress of grievances is a proper assured underneath the First Modification.
When the schooling of scholars is jeopardized due to noise or mud, because the complaints allege, that’s an issue that wants a quick resolution, not threats. County officers stated the corporate has one other deadline of Feb. 15 to indicate at the very least progress towards acquiring the permits.
The corporate ought to spend the subsequent few days making an attempt to get the permits they’ve promised the county, even granted extension after extension to take action — and fewer time threatening Fairmount and its devoted principal.
Resolve the issue, Mountain Loop Mine. Snohomish County officers ought to make sure that they do as quickly as doable.
