05/01/2006: "Voters Not Fooled By Council"

By Scott Bell

The public perception about the Council has become one of apprehension and distrust. And lately, ridicule. The close rapport the Council enjoys with the Friends, and vice versa, has created in the public mind serious misgivings over who exactly does the Council represent: the People or the Friends? And now, with this very barefaced and vocal (compliments of Alan Lichter) disrespect towards the public process, past commissioners, and the voters regarding the Guesthouse Advisory Vote the Council, and the Friends by association, have been caught with their pants down…and we don't like what we see.

People are becoming educated on this issue. Bit by bit people are shoveling through the rhetoric of the Friends and discovering an argument that is strong with emotion and feeble with facts. And while the Friends mulishly argue for compliance to the law they frustrate the very process that would bring it to a legal conclusion. And our Council is tamely tagging along.

Are there any leaders on the Council? Does any one of them have the brass to break away from the Friend's prudish and transparent attempt to implement their design of a politically correct picture perfect postcard San Juan County?

Sadly, as it stands right now our Council seems to be a well paid one that is long on posturing and short on principle. They conveniently forget that they work for all the people who voted for them…and against them.

If our Council can so easily and shamelessly ignore the Guesthouse Advisory Vote, a very clear mandate from the people, perhaps they would also ignore the other recent mandate from the people that they now enjoy…you know, the one that got them elected.

Show up at 2:30 May 2 in the Council chambers and witness our Friendly Council inaction.

Curarem Quapropter? (What, me worry?)

(Scott Bell -not to be confused with the other Scott Bell- has lived on San Juan Island on and off since 1958)