Wednesday, December 21, 2011

What happens when an official is mad at you

[The documents pictured here were obtained using a public disclosure request and are true and accurate copies of the  produced documents.  The comments between them are my interpretation of the information provided by the regulatory agency]
In general, enforcement agents DO NOT like it when you don't agree with their interpretation of the law.   Anything but complete compliance to whatever it is that they deem important is considered to be resistance, and resistance is to be stamped out at any cost. 

So in the document above, Kathy contacts every single other agency she can think of that might have some interest in enforcing anything. 

She calls the washington state Veterinarian, who confirms to her that they did an on-site inspection of my operation, found that I was feeding fruit and vegetables and found no violation and that in their opinion I'm not feeding garbage as defined by federal law. (garbage must be cooked, fruit/veges do not need to be cooked)  

She calls the Snohomish County Planning and Development services enforcement officer for my area, who apparently can't think of anything he can charge me with or enforce.

She calls the Snohomish county animal control, who says that while animals occasionally get loose there's no issues of neglect or cruelty, and that they've been observing me for 3 years. 

This has to be a little frustrating for Kathy at this point.  She'd like to find SOMEONE to do more enforcement of me.  So she comes out  on 7-21-2011 to find that I'm... still feeding my pigs fruits and vegetables.  This annoys her to no end, I think.   She notes that the goats like the produce, too. 

So she calls the snohomish county water quality hotline and reports me to them, talks to three people doing so.  Unfortunately I'm more than 500 feet from the water, so that doesn't pan out. 

So kathy calls the surface water management department, apparently hoping that I'm violating something there.  No dice. 

I'm guessing at this point she's wracking her brain.  What other agency can she call? 

She has done her level best to involve every other agency she can possibly involve.  Unfortunately, they either don't have a dog in this fight, or they've already decided that I'm fully compliant OR they've regulated me to the maximum extent possible. 

The ecogeek reference at the top of the page is for this article, which talks about the difficulties companies are having finding local producers of meat.  You'll find the article here

Kathy,  if you want to know why local meat producers are scarce, look in the mirror. 


Current status:  They'll postpone any action for 6 months in contemplation of a farm plan. 

5 comments:

Garand Gal said...

Is it me, or does she reference a psychic hotline in the 7/12/11 entry?

Laura said...

Hi Bruce- I've been reading your blog with great interest for months and months. I am totally infuriated on your behalf for all this regulatory BS!!! How absurd and menial. I have very definite ambitions to have a farm in the next few years (on the east coast, though) involving pigs, perhaps. This blog has been brutally honest and very interesting for that reason. In any case, nice job getting everything postponed for six months and I hope this absurd woman finds something more productive to do in the future

BigGAdawg said...

Did this woman make a pass at you that you rebuffed? The reason I ask is the only time I have ever seen a woman be so vindictive was when a buddy's girlfriend found out she was not the only girlfriend. It has been my experience that this sort of relentless "I'm going to get you," attitude often has a sexual component. Of course, it might just be that she hasn't had any sexual components of her own in way too long. That might explain the tired, haggard look she has in the picture.

Of course it might just be, as you suggest, a power trip issue.

"How DARE YOU question my authori-tie (sp ala Cartman), stupid conclusions, and ridiculously elevated sense of my own self-importance. Not to mention my absolute refusal to be logical or reasonable. Don't you know that I am a Public Servant. That means the public is here to serve me--'cause I'm Special!!!! Now get to catering to my whims you lowly serfs."

BigGAdawg said...

Merry Christmas and a Happy (bureaucrat free) New Year!!!

Unknown said...

What happens in Eastern Washington when unpicked fruit falls from the tree? Looks like a HUGE solid waste problem in the making...