June 24, 1997
Thurston County Road Department
Washington State Department of Transportation
Lucky Eagle Casino
I live on State Route 12, about 3/4 mile west of the intersection with Anderson Road. During the January 1990 flood water was in our flood proof home. During the February 1996 flood our first floor had two feet of water in it. Residents throughout this area - to the east, south and west of us - suffered similar damage during these two recent events.
I oppose any plans to improve area roads to allow gamblers access to the Lucky Eagle Casino during flood events. I am also opposed to any access improvements done for other reasons which coincidently improve access during flood events.
The Lucky Eagle Casino was built to create jobs and income. It attracts gamblers who would normally never visit this part of the state. During flood events our road systems, our emergency service providers, and medical facilities are already stretched to the breaking point. During floods the Casino might lose income, but during flood events we local taxpaying residents are losing our homes, livestock, vehicles and property and we found out last year we lost significant property value too. During floods Casino employees might lose wages, but we taxpayers lose our wages and our property. During floods gamblers are better off in their dry homes and out of our way!
It is almost comical, were it not so dumb, for Thurston County, the state Department of Transportation and the Casino to suggest that gamblers must gamble while residents fight to live during a disaster. Perhaps the Casino plans to let people wager or bet on which neighbor drowns or which house collapses.
Raising any area road, any elevation, will alter the course of the flood waters. This entire area - from Rochester to Oakville is laced with old river flood channels. The rivers own these channels and we borrow them, but the rivers will take them back during every flood. Raising a road is not one bit different than building a dike. Dikes hold back water, dikes raise water levels, dikes increase the velocity of flood waters, and dike stored flood waters cause loss of life and property.
A jury in Skagit County has already found the state and Skagit County guilty and responsible for damages that occurred as a result of efforts to protect a shopping mall and business center. Are Thurston County and the Department of Transportation willing to assume the same liability for a gambling hall?
Having said that I am in opposition is not enough. If there are others in the room who want to meet with me and work together to oppose this project, call me. We can work together to publicize this ridiculous undertaking. We can do everything possible to protect ourselves. We can save this portion of the Black River and Chehalis watershed from further destructive modification.
In closing, I am appalled that Thurston County and the state would claim that Grays Harbor officials support this plan. According to Bob Beerbower, Commissioner in Grays Harbor County, on Friday June 20th, he had not even talked to anyone from Thurston County about this project.
Dave Palmer
7475 State Route 12
Oakville, WA 98568
360/273-8117
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