To the Editor:
Tim [Blanchard] has already responded to the material misstatements about him made in Mr. Dehlendorf’s latest blast.
I write primarily to question Mr. Dehlendorf’s math. Barbara Dehlendorf, Stephen Adams and Robert Gamble, all Planning Commissioners, are also members of the Friends of the San Juans, or at least are shown as such in the most recent public listing of Friends’ members. Therefore, if we are keeping count, the “stacked deck” of 3-0 about which Mr. Dehlendorf complains is actually 3-3, plus another three appointees whose social and political associations may be more palatable to Mr. Dehlendorf. To take action, the Planning Commission must support a motion by 5-4 or better.
The Friends filed an administrative appeal “against the County” several days before CSA filed its, and the Friends has a long history of suing the County. Therefore, if one accepts Mr. Dehlendorf’s proposition that citizens who are members of an organization that sues the County are precluded from service on County Boards and Commissions, then the Planning Commission, the MRC, the ARC, and the Stewardship Network—among others– will all soon be looking for members.
Finally, the Planning Commission position vacancy about which Mr. Dehlendorf complains was not only routinely listed on the County’s website consistent with standard procedure, but the website also includes the end-of-term dates for all Commission appointees, and it was therefore plainly apparent to anyone interested that the Orcas position was coming open in 2013.
Peg Manning, Orcas
(Ms. Manning is Mr. Blanchard’s law partner and spouse.)
Stacked is correct. Three board members of the CSA on the Planning Commission, who all were involved in the decision to sue the county, and none from Friends or any other organization.
I am wondering why people/organizations are willing to sue me/us/county? The problem i have with this is that in a time where our economy is so bad, our county is really having a hard time with their funds…why why why are the friends or any other groups wanting to sue…and before you tell me that it is their right, that they are fighting for me/us let me ask those who are have you asked me/us if we want you to sue…..Because i don’t…i would not want the money WASTED on this……
In response to Ms. Manning above, the reason that Mr. Dehlendorf, myself, and others don’t see the Planning Commission as being equally weighted between CSA folks and Friends folks is because the three Common Sense Alliance planning commissioners are board members of CSA, not simply members, and they have been involved with bringing CSA’s lawsuit against the county. On the other hand, the three planning commissioners who are affiliated with Friends of the San Juans are simply members, meaning that they have donated a little money to Friends. There is no equivalency whatsoever between being a member of the CSA board who originated and helped draft the lawsuit, and being a person who is considered a member of Friends. No member of Friends on the Planning Commission has been involved in Friends’ lawsuit. And it is an interesting question as to whether being a member of a county commission, the Planning Commission, and being a party to a lawsuit against the county would be considered a conflict of interest.
With all due respect to the Turnoys, “equivalency” is a concept created by Mr. Dehlendorf and one without legal meaning; Tim Blanchard is not a party to the CSA lawsuit, any more than Stephanie Buffum is a party to the many suits filed against the County by the Friends; and if being associated with an entity that sued the County were a disqualifying factor, then a number of our advisory committees would be half-empty. That this new-found delicacy about potential conflicts has appeared only now is more than passing odd.
Members of the County Council:
I am writing to address recent assertions by David Dehlendorf that I failed to “fully and properly” disclose potential conflicts of interest in my application to serve on the Planning Commission. I am at a loss concerning the relevance of much of Mr. Dehlendorf’s letter, but wanted to make clear to Council that my disclosure of potential conflicts was “full” and “proper.”
For the record:
I am a member of the Board of Directors of the Common Sense Alliance (CSA), a nonpartisan, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization. As its website states, CSA “provides the vehicle through which information can be provided to citizens and government alike, allowing citizens to be more engaged in our charter government and requiring government to follow established law and process to provide fair and enforceable laws for Islanders.” http://www.commonsensealliance.net.
In my application, I identified CSA as an organization in which I “serve in a decision making capacity,” and further disclosed my service as an officer of the Board.
I do not serve as CSA’s “principal attorney.” Neither I, nor my firm, have ever been engaged as legal counsel for CSA or provided legal advice to CSA. Public comments that I have made on behalf of CSA were made in my capacity as one of CSA’s vice presidents.
I am not a “party to a lawsuit against the County.” Nor has CSA initiated a “lawsuit” against the County. CSA recently filed administrative appeals with the Growth Management Hearings Board, in furtherance of its public comments regarding the recently adopted Critical Areas Ordinance provisions.
I am not sure why Mr. Dehlendorf was unaware of the vacancy on the Commission. The regular vacancy notice and request for applications were posted on the County website and I believe the terms of Planning Commission members have also been consistently listed on the County website.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Tim Blanchard