||| FROM DAN CHRISTOPHERSON |||
This past June something amazing happened — Due to the incredible staff at the San Juan County Land Bank and the San Juan Preservation Trust, we were able to permanently protect the Glenwood Inn property on Orcas Island.The acquisition of this remarkable 58-acre parcel permanently preserves forested uplands, more than 1,800 feet of natural shoreline with prime nearshore habitat for juvenile salmon, sand lance and herring, and is of significant cultural importance to the Coast Salish people. It also opens access to one of the most desirable previously inaccessible public lands in the state.For these reasons, the dedicated public employees at our own San Juan County Land Bank, led by their director Lincoln Bormann, worked tirelessly for over a year to make sure this very special place would be protected forever.Over the past months, after over a year of public discussions about the conservation, recreation and cultural importance of this property, Councilmember Cindy Wolf called for workforce housing on this property. She also spoke about art installations and other ideas. While there is a massive need for housing, as the professionals who work on housing found over a year before, this is not the place for it… and, Councilmember Wolf should have done her homework and known this.In fact, over a year before the Land Bank and the Preservation Trust purchased this special place, islanders trying to identify key properties for housing on Orcas Island actually did a fairly exhaustive review of this exact property… and found that it was not a location to pursue for numerous reasons. There are a small number of total density units available, the water resources are not great, the infrastructure is problematic, it is farther from town, and the well over $6,000,000 price tag makes it anything but affordable. Far more importantly, OPAL and others have identified other properties that have a far greater community benefit.This is all information that Councilmember Wolf and the San Juan County Administrator could have easily accessed.
When Councilmember Wolf raised the question of housing at this location, she was appropriately informed that this was not the right place for it. She was also informed that the San Juan County Land Bank is forbidden by law from doing housing except in very unique situations with criteria that this property would not meet.
In fact, at the formal County Council Deed of Acceptance Hearing, before Councilmember Wolf even voted, she was told that her ideas would not be allowed at this site.
Councilmember Wolf was further informed that some of the funds that were making this entire incredible purchase possible would not allow a housing development and would likely have to be returned – threatening the entire purchase.
The County Land Bank also partnered with the San Juan Preservation Trust to provide additional protections because the Trust is an excellent partner who works tirelessly with the Land Bank on large deals such as this and helps raise critical funds to make these sorts of deals possible.
All of this is public information and has been shared during the months-long process for this purchase. It is also the norm! It is the same way the Land Bank and the Preservation Trust have operated for decades including on the very public creation of the TurtleBack Preserve.
More importantly, it is the job of Councilmember Wolf to do her homework and know this.
What happened next ,however was shocking…
Shortly after San Juan County Land Bank Director Lincoln Bormann informed Councilmember Wolf that her desire for housing on this specific property would not be a favorable option, Lincoln Bormann was informed that he was being brought in for a formal employment review. While Councilmember Wolf wrote in an op-ed that she had nothing to do with this, the coincidence is incredible.
It is also important to note that the Land Bank Director Lincoln Bormann has had zero negative reviews since joining the County decades ago. In fact, he has consistently received overwhelmingly positive reviews.
Over the past weeks, this remarkable public servant has not known if he would have a job the next day, has felt threatened by superiors and he and his family have been deeply personally impacted.
To further impact this County employee’s life, Councilmember Wolf has now begun speaking publicly about extremely confidential internal County human resource matters. On Friday July 29th at a fundraiser for State Representative Alex Ramel, Councilmember Wolf spoke openly with a member of the public sharing her belief that Lincoln Bormann has committed fireable offenses and that Lincoln Bormann “must be held accountable.”
The abusive and hostile behavior of Councilmember Wolf toward a dedicated public servant is of great concern and likely in violation of County policies. Further, Councilmember Wolf should have done a far better job of doing her homework and the County Administrator clearly should have done a better job keeping his Council informed.
Councilmember Wolf has created a hostile workplace and publicly attacked Director Bormann. This sort of behavior threatens not only a wonderful member of our community, but the future of our county.
Finally, it is important to remember that San Juan County is the largest employer in the County. Hundreds of men and women work tirelessly as public servants to make sure our roads are safe, our communities are healthy and our environment is protected. As all of us know, finding and then keeping these dedicated staff employees is difficult at best.
We need to respect and celebrate their efforts, not beat them down.
Lincoln Bormann is an asset to our community and must remain, at this critical time, Director of the Land Bank. The County Council needs to hear this from its constituents on this issue now. The council is OUR elected voice. Let’s speak. As Brian Weise noted in his article yesterday:
“Please consider speaking up for Lincoln during the public comment period at Tuesday’s council meeting (to comment:
https://apps2.sanjuanco.com/Council/CouncilMeetingCommunitySignUp/signup.php) or write to the Council at council@sanjuanco.com before noon on Monday with positive comments only.”
Dan, this is a well written and accurate description of the events and resultant irresponsible attacks on Lincoln Bormann. Council member Wolf has abused her position, refused to take any responsibility for her ignorance of Land Bank regulations and undermined the reputation and working ideals of a valued member of our community. Her overzealous attacks demand a public response as we don’t need leaders behaving like this in our small close knit community. You don’t just publicly accuse someone of lying and move to fire them for what was at worst a misunderstanding and one stemming from her unwillingness to do her homework. I hope Council Member Wolf will learn from this experience and better serve her constituents for it.
We the voters ought to have strong voice in this, and we have spoken. Please comment at the hearing and make your opinions and wishes known. If Council goes through with this, it is a stain on all of them. At worst, the hearing goes through and the other two councilors block the effort to discipline or remove Lincoln Bormann. At best, the hearing would be cancelled by the Chair – BEFORE the first ferry tomorrow. Thank you, Dan, for writing this thoughtful letter. I am, as a voter, deeply disappointed in the heavy handed wrong-headed approaches do doing the right things – even the best-intentions need to be tempered with fairness, diplomacy, and humility. That’s what true leadership is.
Mr. Christopherson,
Representative Alex Ramel’s event was held in my home on July 29, 2022. You were not in attendance that evening, so you could not have possibly witnessed the conversations that you state took place there in your letter. You and I have never met. We have never had a conversation. Not about any issue.
In contrast, Representative Ramel hosted a positive, uplifting event. Those of us who attended the fundraiser sincerely enjoyed the time that he spent with us. You owe Representative Ramel, me and your readers an apology for not being honest with them.
Please do not take such liberties again.