05/21/2008: "County & Town Approve Letter On Border Checks"

The County and Town of Friday Harbor Councils have approved a letter to U.S. Senators Murray, Cantwell, and Representative Larsen, protesting the negative impacts of the on-going border checks at Anacortes.

The County Council had previously voted down sending a letter (prior story), and then after the failed public vote, and without the knowledge of the public -or Councilman Rich Peterson- drafted and approved (by signing) a revised version of the same letter, then sent it off to the FH Town Council for their consideration.

Maintaining the stealthy approach to open government, the discussion of the letter did not show up on the Town agenda, but nonetheless it was discussed at the end of their meeting. After limited discussion, a motion was made to approve the letter -that had been signed by County council members- and make it available for signing by any Town Council members who wished to do so, then the letter was to be forwarded back to the County Council.

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When the County took up the matter again at their regular Tuesday meeting, Chairman Howard Rosenfeld quickly called for a motion and a second to approve the letter, but Councilman Alan Lichter momentary held up the vote when he called for a “little background”, noting that the letter “from last week is null and void, and this is a new issue that we are raising today?” Chairman Rosenfeld confired that was the case, and that it was back before them as a result of County Prosecutor Randy Gaylord’s advice.

Councilman Peterson said he saw a “number of ironies” in a motion to approve a letter on May 20th that was signed (absent Peterson and Town Councilwoman Carrie Brooks signatures) on May 13th. Rosenfeld then asked if there was any further discussion.

Lichter responded that “I do not mind ironies, but I do mind errors”, this was a reference that the majority of the Council should not have drafted, signed, and then sent a letter to the Town, outside of a public meeting.

Peterson continued to question the validly of the May 13th letter, pointing out that “the only public activity on the 13th” was to vote it down. Rosenfeld countered there had been no action, because when they took a vote on the letter, the motion had failed to pass; he then called the question, and the motion to approve the letter was passed, with Peterson opposed.