Mayor’s action was devious and deceptive | Letters | Feb. 17

Shame, shame on you Debbi Lester, and I hope for the “Good of the Order,” that you will be stepping down as mayor, if not the city council.

For a mayor of such short tenure, your actions in regard to hiring outside counsel as early as Jan. 5, 2012, regarding our city manager was devious and deceptive.

If there was a conflict of interest with the city attorney it is hard to understand why you would not turn to your two council colleagues who are attorneys and former mayors.

I heard your response to questions about the surprise executive session at your Jan. 11 meeting. “I was running to the ferry, got the call, sending my son to school in Europe, called the session, nothing more than that.”

Now we see it was a long calculated plan and the city is the loser.

We will be saying goodbye to the most competent person that has sat in city hall for over a decade. We overwhelmingly voted for the city manager form of government so our elected officials could not muck it up but you have proved that hypothesis wrong.

For many of us, having someone finally assemble a competent team in city hall and correct our financial situation would have been applauded.

I know you worked with two other council members on this plan, and I was pleased to see Mr. Bonkowski vote with the majority about the inappropriateness of expending funds on this misadventure.

Thank goodness you and Mr. Ward will be receiving some education, not only on professional ethics but how our government works before you do any further damage.

Paula Johnson

Bainbridge Island

 

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