Bob Main
Coos County Commissioner
Thank you Mr. Knutson for writing, what in my opinion, is a letter full of misconceptions and inaccuracies. I appreciate the opportunity to set the record straight on so many points.
Let me start with the items that need only a one sentence answer.
I have never hired a geologist.
ORC has never had a mining lease with Coos County.
I do not control the state and federal bureaucracy.
I do not control the world markets.
I do not control the banking industry.
I did not make the decision to protect the county’s interests on the Kimberly Clark property alone. (Messerle, Parry and
Myself were in agreement to appeal)
I do not control the other Coos County Commissioners.
I did receive a personal email from Wayne Knott, CEO of ORC stating that “mineral sands demands has declined over the last year due to reduced demand”. If you haven’t noticed, the world economy has slowed dramatically!
To address the point that requires a longer answer, let me start with stating that jobs are extremely important to Coos County. This is why Commissioners Beebe, Owen, Ross, Whitty, Jackson, Stufflebean, Griffith, Perry, Messerle and my self have worked and continue to work diligently to reach a lease agreement with ORC. With eight to ten years of mining on the Weyerhauser property, ORC did not appear to be in a rush to reach an agreement with Coos County. In fact, until recently, the county has not had contact with ORC for about one year, even though I had made inquiries. Currently, a lease proposal has been submitted to ORC.
I do not want to destroy the timber jobs, which have sustained local families for over 150 years. The mining jobs and the 250 timber jobs supported by the county forest need to work cooperatively together so that we have the best of both!
Editors note: Read the Knutson letter by clicking here
The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of MGx.
Mr. Knutson…
Frankly my dear, I don’t give a dam! Mind disclosing how many shares of ORC penny stock you own directly or indirectly through a shell corporation? You are talking your book. You don’t give a sheet about the people associated with ORC or the people of Coos County. Tell it how it is. Without locking up 20 years worth of minerals you can not find a buyer for your perceived Cash Cow.
And another thought. We all have favorite words that we use when we write or speak. Heard anyone use the word “dither” lately other than Jon Barton who loves the word and the probable writer of the Knute letter.
Considering Knutson will benefit from the government putting an 85 year old company out of business his letter is as disgusting as he is.
Regarding that letter from Knute, is he originally from the town of Sequim? That’s where the editor of the daily Coos Bay paper wrote a couple years ago, while the editor of the local weekly paper, and before the paper publisher wrote to chastise him, and before diappearing abruptly and then appearing here that his was a village cursed with idiots.