Council Urges an End to Inflammatory Rhetoric

By Stan Matthews
County Website and Communications Manager

The San Juan County Council, Tuesday June 14, endorsed and signed a letter “To the Media, County Staff and People of San Juan County,” asking each to “join our effort to ensure that the County’s governmental processes are open and the debates over our disagreements are civil, factual and constructive.”

The immediate cause of the action was the appearance of a news article concerning the County’s Ferry Advisory Committee that began with several inflammatory words and provoked the tentative resignation of a member of the volunteer committee. That volunteer questioned whether people who volunteer their time to serve on county committees should be exposed to the level of criticism that could damage their reputation in the community.

The Council’s letter praised the generosity and dedication of the citizens who participate on its committees and encouraged the media and the rest of the community to recognize their value.

However, the Council noted, conflicts over openness and public involvement have arisen and “despite many improvements in recent years, we acknowledge the need to work harder in this area.”

(The text of the letter follows)To the Media, County Staff and People of San Juan County:

This past week, a local publication began an article concerning the County’s Ferry Advisory Committee’s activities with the words: “Lies, scapegoats, economically damaging ferry schedules and blatant violations of the Open Public Meetings Act.”

The Council considers the application of those inflammatory words to describe the activities of citizens who devote long hours to serve the interests of the County to be destructive to the committee process and demeaning to volunteer committee members.

The Council does not want citizens to hesitate to serve on our advisory boards and committees for fear that accepting an appointment could subject them to this level of criticism and negative character portrayal.  The County is grateful to the highly qualified citizens who serve on advisory boards and committees, and we honor their service and their sacrifices, and we encourage the community and media to do likewise.

The Council also recognizes its need to evaluate our relationship with the media and the public and our continued commitment to open government and civil discourse.

The Council acknowledges that the County’s implementation of openness in government has not been perfect and, in the past, this has led to conflicts between the Council, advisory committees, members of the public, and the media.

Despite many improvements in recent years, we acknowledge the need to work harder in this area. Disagreements over policy and ideas are inevitable, and the Council encourages thoughtful criticism and pointed questions which can prompt us to do a better job.

But explosive or defamatory language – whether it comes from the Council, the speaker’s stand or the media – can shut down productive debate, stifle efforts to accommodate different interests, and may result in the loss of valued volunteer committee members.

The members of the San Juan County Council ask representatives of our local media, volunteers serving on its many committees, and the members of the public who appear before this Council or its advisory committees to join our effort to ensure that the County’s governmental processes are open, and the debates over our disagreements are civil, factual and constructive.

Sincerely,

COUNTY COUNCIL
SAN JUAN COUNTY, WASHINGTON