PORT TOWNSEND — The Republican Party chairman in Jefferson County plans to present a petition to U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, on Monday, while the county Democratic Party chairman says party members probably should bring him flowers.
When Dicks speaks at the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Fort Worden State Park Commons at noon Monday, the Jefferson County Republicans plan to hand him a petition they circulated at the Jefferson County Fair with signatures of people opposed to a health care overhaul that is still being hashed out in Congress.
“We’re currently having folks come by our booth at the fair and if they like, they can sign a petition we have floating around,” said Ron Gregory, chairman of the county’s Republican Committee, last week.
“We’ve had quite a few people sign it already, but at the same time, I don’t want this to appear as something that is terribly partisan.”
“We aren’t asking party affiliation, just if you are opposed to the way Congress is dealing with this issue.”
Meanwhile, Jefferson County Democrats Chair Matt Sirceley said he is thrilled with the progress being made on health care.
“From the point of view of the Democrats in Jefferson County, Norm Dicks has been a staunch supporter of health care reform for years and we have sent him many notes of thanks for that,” he said.
“Right now, the only rumor I’ve heard of any action by Democrats would be to bring Norm some flowers.”
Wants meeting
Gregory said he and others would prefer that Dicks hold a meeting to discuss health care reform, but that county Republicans are not planning a protest at the chamber luncheon, such as the demonstration held outside the Red Lion Hotel in Port Angeles at a forum that Dicks attended Friday.
“We’re not happy he has no town hall meetings scheduled to discuss [health care] but, speaking for the party, I can say we have no organized protest planed at the event.”
“He’s kind of isolated himself and made himself unavailable here,” Gregory said.
Dicks has said that the threat of disruptive demonstrations nixed any thoughts about holding a public forum on health care while he was in Port Angeles on Friday or when he speaks to the Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce on Monday.
Dicks often visits the North Olympic Peninsula during Congress’ annual summer recess, which ends Sept. 1.
He sometimes holds town hall meetings, but won’t this time, said his aide, George Behan.
“If you are watching what’s happening around the country, there are these disruptive groups coming into these types of information sessions, trying to make their point in opposition to any health care reform,” Behan said in an interview with the Peninsula Daily News on Tuesday.
“A lot of these groups are using the opportunity to create a distraction.”
Behan said Dicks is not afraid of disruptions that might occur at town hall meetings, but “they just don’t seem to be productive.”
In addition, the House has not agreed on a final health care bill, Behan said.
“A lot of misinformation’
“There’s a lot of misinformation at some meetings you are seeing across the country, and that’s another reason it’s difficult to sponsor health care forums,” he said.
Sirceley said he hoped that any protests or demonstrations that did occur would not serve as a distraction during the meeting.
“I hope the ugliness we have seen in other parts of the country doesn’t rear its head here,” he said.
“Generally I think people are very civil in our little part of the world here, so we should be fine.”
Jennifer MacGillonie, Chamber of Commerce executive director, said the meeting was open to the public and that there would be a question-and-answer period.
“He’s going to give an update and then there are going to be questions asked by the public.
“I haven’t heard that there will be protesters, but I am being proactive.”
MacGillonie invited Port Townsend Police Chief Connor Daily and Sgt. Ed Green to the meeting on Monday.
The attendance of Daily and Green is not an unprecedented event at the meetings, as they have both attended in the past.
Green said they were first and foremost attending to listen to Dicks speak and did not expect any issues to arise that would require law enforcement.
“We’re absolutely not going to stop people from speaking,” Green said.
“This is a public meeting, and the public has a right to speak and a right to protest.
“We don’t expect it, but if something does happen that isn’t acceptable, we will be right there.”
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Reporter Erik Hidle can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at erik.hidle@peninsuladailynews.com.
