To the editor:

I have been following the public records lawsuit brought by Bainbridge Islanders Althea Paulson and Bob Fortner with great interest.

I bring a personal perspective. In 2011, I had my own turn defending Washington’s open government laws, and the experience was quite unpleasant. I was fired from a city position as a result of several off- the-record meetings. When I protested these meetings, I was supported by the state’s open government ombudsman and the Bainbridge Island Ethics Board, but hit with a wave of high-level opposition. Our then-city attorney, Jack Johnson, wrote a public memo justifying secret gatherings of government officials. Then-city councilmember (and now county prosecutor candidate) Bob Scales led a council vote to affirm the decision to fire me — and then a vote to disregard the ethics board opinion. One city manager told the press that I lost city files (later retracted) and another one issued a memo suggesting I mishandled them (imagine being told, as part of your city contract, to do your work from home, and then being criticized for taking home city records).

I could have used another friend or two, during those awful days, to help me defend open government. I did not find one in Ms. Paulson or Mr. Fortner. I admire both Althea and Bob’s interest in accountability. But it only seems to be directed at those who disagree with their positions.  The sound of silence was deafening, last time ‘round, when their friends were fudging open government laws to protect their own reputations.

I look forward to the time when we can all agree on basic good governing principles, regardless of political positions.

KIM HENDRICKSON

Bainbridge Island