by the WIP News Service

Written into the 2/11/08 Minutes of the Olympia Land Use and Environment Committee is a disturbing statement: “We already have the vision for downtown. To appeal to the public, we need to move from strategy to tactics.” Present at this meeting were Councilmembers Karen Messmer, Rhenda Iris Strub, and Joan Machlis, as well as City staff and assorted guests, including former councilmember and Triway Enterprise employee Jeannette Hawkins, and Russ Meixner of Rocky Mountain Development Company, a big contributor to several councilmembers’ campaign funds (see graphic).

The Top 10 donors to the City Council, categorized