In Carl Weimer's most recent blog post, he references a letter written by a Mr Jack Swanson.
Here is an excerpt from Mr Swanson's letter:
As many of you know, there is great distrust of the Planning Department and its Director in the affected community. You really should consider another alternative for your advisor.
The affected community that Mr Swanson is describing?
That would be Mr Swanson and his developer buddies. They seem to want a more... user-friendly... planning director.
Planning Commissioner John Lesow wrote a comment on Carl's blog. Mr Lesow wasn't mincing words:
Jack Swanson wants Pete Kremen to fire Planning Director David Stalheim. Bad idea.
Does Pete want to conclude his political career by submitting to pressure from land use lawyers on matters that will be ultimately adjudicated by Hearings Boards and Washington Courts? This is no time to get wobbly. We need David Stalheim now, more than ever.
Is the County Executive going to fire Mr. Stalheim? No one else can. The Executive is the only county official who has the authority to take such action.
Is Mr Stalheim being pressured to resign his position? Who else besides Mr Swanson is calling for Mr Stalheim to be sacked?
Who does this self-styled affected community have in mind to replace Mr Stalheim? Are the rest of us going to get to at least see a resume?
Latte Republic takes great exception to any attempt to remove a sitting planning director, or any appointed public servant, for reasons of political expediency.
If a trained and qualified person appointed to clearly unelected position in County staff can be credibly threatened with unemployment because he has the audacity to faithfully attempt to serve the entire public... rather than catering to the whims of some well-coined "good ol' boys", then all of the claims that the County elected offices are non-partisan take on a particularly hollow ring.
Whatcom County's unemployment rate is high enough without adding Mr Stalheim to the rolls.
Latte Republic also takes great exception to Mr Swanson's baseless claim of speaking for the affected community. The actual affected community is every citizen in Whatcom County, even those of us who may lack substantial parcels of land and the resources necessary to develop that land. Mr Swanson speaks for virtually none of the actual affected community.
Latte Republic hopes that the County Executive will resist whatever pressure might be applied to him to forsake public servants like Mr Stalheim. A public statement of confidence from the County Executive's Office in Mr Stalheim would certainly go a long way in dispelling any concerns about Mr Stalheim's job being in jeopardy.
If Mr Swanson and his ilk want a different Planning Director, then Latte Republic asserts they should have to get a different County Executive first.
I attended the Planning Committee Meeting on March 30, 2010, so I know first hand that Swanson's accusations are false and outrageous.
ReplyDeleteDirector Stalheim and his staff did an outstanding job of explaining LAMIRDS in general. Specially, they explained the policy adopted by the Planning Commission in making its recommendations, as well as three alternative options that the Council could use should it choose to reject the Planning Commission's recommendations. There was never any question that the final decision rested with Council, and that Council intended to explore these options, as confirmed by the minutes from this meeting, posted on the County website.
What the minutes do not reflect is the compliment paid to the Planning Department by County Council Member Kershner after the presentation, which was echoed by the head nods of other Council Members. Ms. Kershner stated that this was the most helpful explanation that she had received to date on the LAMIRD issues and that she had a much better understanding of this matter thanks to the Planning presentation.
Where was Jack Swanson when County Council was expressing its appreciation for the very presentation that he criticized? Is there no depth too low for the development lobby to sink in its relentless crusade for profits at the public's expense.
A question that needs to be answered is who on the Council is encouraging and/or supporting these type of bully tactics? Perhaps the Council Chairperson can answer that for us, although it will probably have to wait until he is done coddling the UGA plaintiffs by holding a meeting that is clearly meant to undue all the work done last year by the prior County Council.
Because this rumor has begun to circulate, it is time for Mr. Kremen to step up and proclaim his complete faith in and support for Mr. Stalheim. I would also suggest that the Council should do the same. The very fact that both Ken Mann and Carl Weimer have raised this issue as well as some rumors I have heard makes me very uncomfortable. I am glad to hear that the new council members are appreciating the clarity Mr. Stalheim and the other long term planning staff have been providing on complex and difficult issues.
ReplyDeleteMr. Stalheim was charged with getting the County in compliance with GMA. He has provided the Council and executive clear assistance on how to do so. They need to support him and all the long term planning staff given the disgusting attacks that Mr. Swanson presented in his letter as well as the shameful letter submitted to the County Council from the attorneys representing various developers and small cities bent on promoting sprawl.
In 1997 the then Planning Director opted to defer the LAMIRD issue and allowed for overly large growth boundaries for the cities. In 2004, the Planning Department failed to address the LAMIRD issue when they made their recommendations to the Council during the Rural update.
Mr. Stalheim was hired to fix this mess. He along with the long term planning staff have done exactly what they were asked to do and what is required under GMA.
The problem is a few developers that stand to make millions to perhaps even billions of dollars. They have been contaminating the planning process for years. They’re campaigns of misinformation and tossing of money at political campaigns has been contemptible. Mr. Swanson, the attorney who wrote the offensive letter, represents Goldstar. Goldstar owns large tracts of land in the LAIMIRD area east of Birch Bay next to the freeway that have been zoned inconsistent with the GMA laws as well as the County policy for over 12 years. They have also been getting a free ride with large developments in Birch Bay with no impact fees for roads as the County Road fund has been decimated under past planning to manage this situation. They recently were granted a free upzone on land that had been included initially in the Birch Bay growth area under the promise that development rights would be transferred prior to development.
Mr. Kremen needs to show leadership on getting the long overdue LAMIRD issue resolved. This issue has been a problem for his entire tenure as County Executive. While Mr. Kremen can claim he was poorly served on this issue by Planning Director’s he hired in the past, he cannot make the same claim regarding Mr. Stalheim. Mr. Stalheim has been doing his job. Given the poison campaign Mr. Swanson and other paid development representatives have been running, it is time for Mr. Kremen to stand up for his staff. And it is time for the Council to do the same.