This just in at City Hall today (the 4th)...Addressed to the Ethics Board from Sensitive Cherie and Doughy Dan's Big City Attorney...Highlights from his letter reproduced below.
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"Re: Motion for Reconsideration - Decision Regarding Deputy Mayor Cherie Kidd
Dear Board Members:
Thank you for your service on behalf of the Port Angeles community. We applaud your commitment to your city, and recognize the difficulty of your assignment.
As you may be aware, we represent Deputy Mayor Cherie Kidd and Councilmember Dan Gase in a matter now before a separate Board of Ethics. This matter involves...complaints regarding Deputy Mayor Kidd.
We write because we understand that this Board issued its verbal decision last Friday, dismissing the complaint against Deputy Mayor Kidd in all respects except one.
On behalf of Deputy Mayor Kidd, we respectfully request that this Board reconsider its verbal decision, and enter written findings of fact and conclusions of law rejecting all claims against the Deputy Mayor. The Deputy Mayor's action in presiding over a tumultuous City Council meeting are fully consistent with applicable constitutional and other legal authority, with the City Council's own adopted Rules of Procedure, and with Robert's Rules of Order.
Under the Open Public Meetings Act, the Deputy Mayor had the clear and express statutory authority to remove from the Council chambers any speaker whom she had ruled out of order, to clear the Council chambers, or to reconvene the meeting to another place away from the disruption. RCW 42.30.050.
The Deputy Mayor declined to take...drastic actions, and instead chose absolutely the least intrusive means to restore order - declare a short recess, and try again. Certain audience members ignored this olive branch, and continued to disrupt the meeting.
The Board's decision has potentially far-reaching consequences. If the Board's verbal decision from last week carries the day, a real risk exists that the Mayor or another presiding officer at a future City Council meeting would simply decline to apply the correct legal standard and to enforce its own rules for fear of facing further political reprisal disguised as an "ethics" violation.
We urge this Board to reconsider its verbal decision, and to enter written findings of fact and conclusions of law rejecting this complaint in its entirety. Please let us know if you would like further information or analysis. Thank you.
Very truly your,
Michael R. Kenyon
Kenyon Disend, PLLC"
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There's more to it - much more, with footnotes and citations - but I think you get the drift. "Hey, Rubes! Smarten up and do what the big city lawyers are telling you! Please let us know if you would like further information or analysis. In the meantime, obey!"
So you tell me...Does this latest salvo seems like "the least intrusive means to restore order"? Or is it just one more one fingered salute to the irate citizens of Port Angeles?
***UPDATE!***
Just so you all know...Cherie Kidd has sent a letter to the members of the Ethics Board asking/instructing them to, essentially, do what the letter above tells them to do. She just can't let it go, can she? She is so stupid, so utterly clueless, that she can't see that the one sure way to start making this better would be to be a little humble, a little contrite, and stop being arrogant and condescending.
Instead, she just keeps chewing and chewing and chewing on this like a crazed weasel.
Or is that a shrew?
***2nd UPDATE!***
Fresh from City Hall...Cherie's pea-brained plea has been heard...
Notice is hereby given that the Board (1) of Ethics will hold a meeting on Friday, April 8, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., in the Jack Pittis Room at City Hall, 321 East Fifth Street. The purpose of the meeting is to continue deliberations and evaluation of the ethics complaint filed against Deputy Mayor Cherie Kidd. As allowed by RCW 42.30.110(1)(f), the meeting will not be open to the public. No action will be taken at this meeting.
Dig this, Ethics Panel #2,upon the advice of this silk stocking lawyer, dismissed the complaint against Gase. So, our own city attorney stepped down because of a conflict and Ethics Committee #2 takes its advice from defense council. Only in Port Angeles...
ReplyDeleteWhy did the Board listen to just him & not even hear from Eloise? Hmmm
DeleteNeedless to say, there's nothing about this in the PDN.
ReplyDeleteThanks again, CK, for being a reliable source of pertinent information. You provide a real community service.
If and when - and that's an IF - the PDN decides to cover this latest insult, it will likely only be because this blog and other sources covered it first, and put the information out into the community.
DeleteAnyway, thanks for the kind words, and we'll just see...
Be fair, CK. It takes Gaul Potleaf time to make up quotes, twist facts, and put an article together.
DeleteStill no sign of this story on the PDN or KONP websites. "We hide, you decide" eh?
Delete"The Board's decision has potentially far-reaching consequences."
ReplyDeleteYeah, it might ruin Cherie's attempt to run for County Commish!
Simple but infuriating question: WHY IS OUR CITY COUNCIL AT WAR WITH THE CITIZENS OF PORT ANGELES?
ReplyDeleteThis imperial disdain crap is getting very, very old.
I will again state that I don't believe for a minute that Cherie had any awareness of the RCWs on this. She just lost it. Her attorney is so full of it - almost a blatant lie to say that she "called for a recess" - all anyone has to do is watch the video to know that's not true. Even still it would have required a second and a vote. Fail.
ReplyDeleteCherie Kidd would need to be given three tries simply to spell RCW. You are correct on all counts.
DeleteAnd while she was lying under oath, no one on the Board even asked her to define "ad hominem". LOL that would have been entertaining!
Delete"It's, uh, when you have a public meeting, and then you, uh, add hominem to it. Next question, please!"
Delete"I like to add hominem to my French toast."
DeleteIs that whole grain hominem?
Delete"There comes a time... "
ReplyDeleteEveryone gets paid. That is what it boils down to. The lawyers get paid. The consultants get paid.
We get screwed. We get screwed.
It all is happy to roll along, finding clever ways to keep doing what it wants, the machine does.
In some cities, the people fill the streets in protest. "Enough of this.." They block streets, shut down all business in town, and demand change. It happens all the time, and because of things far less serious than what is going on in Port Angeles.
Why do you think the PDN is not reporting these insults to the community? Why do you think every story the PDN does write about the current problems twists the truth up into a pretzel so that those seeking justice are made to look like criminals?
They don't want people to know, so they stay quiet and complacent.
Thank you, CK, for printing these excerpts from the "motion for reconsideration" composed by the high-priced defense lawyer paid for by the taxpayers of Port Angeles. It is galling to read; but unfortunately not surprising.
ReplyDeleteOne gem, however. The lawyer calls out an inherent flaw in this ethics code: that it can be used as a tool "for political reprisal disguised as an "ethics" violation."
The council that adopted the code in the first place intended it to be used exactly this way: to try to punish and silence council members like Max Mania who voted their consciences, listened to constituents, encouraged government transparency, and defeated old guard insiders like Edna Peterson at the polls.
The Council should admit that the code (probably largely written by bonehead Bloor) was politically motivated and was adopted for improper purposes. They either must live with the consequences it wrought, or repeal it.
Sigh, gonna be a long summer. Next comes an ethics complaint of Kidd's handling of the Lodging Tax Committee grants, lying to the ethics committee under oath, representing herself as speaking for the city at county commission meetings when she had no authority to do so, failure to recuse when voting for funding for EDC when her business was a recipient of EDC benefits. I bet Gase gets to sell this out of town attorney a home since he is going to be here a while defending council members on ethics complaints. Step down now has a nice ring to it eh taxpayers?
ReplyDeleteARRRRGGH!!!
ReplyDeleteFunny how the County just decided to create an "Ombudsman" position to informally handle complaints, and better to sweep them under. But this probably has nothing whatsoever to do with the County Commissioners & other officials eligible for their own ethics complaints, would it?
ReplyDeleteI've seen a lot more of those yellow signs pop up around town, but I still don't know where to get one?
ReplyDeletePS - As NOT seen in the PDN, County Prosecutor sues County Treasurer without the knowledge of the County Commissioners: http://www.konp.com/local/11493
Wow! Port Angeles is like a 24/7 Contention Convention, isn't it? I don't think it's fluoride they're putting in the water - I think it's the rage virus.
Delete"This Is Odd - An Urban Farm" (aquaponics) at 314 1/2 W. 1st St. has a bunch of the yellow Step Down signs available. Knock in front, or go in the alleyway in back just west of CountryAire.
DeleteThere is so much to say in response to this huge "dust up", however, I will be brief: 1) we have the right of free speech, the right to be heard and we have the responsibility, as fair minded adults, to be respectful. I sincerely feel that the contentious city council meeting entertained a lot of folks who were not respectful, who felt that their opinions were the only ones that mattered and that at least 1 speaker leveled personal attacks at three of the council members. 2) with regard to fluoride, why do any of the anti-fluoride folks think that dentists support fluoride? When I need advice about, say a car problem, I will ask a mechanic; if I need advice about a medical problem I will ask my doctor, not my neighbor. Having said that, I suggest that the City cancel their fluoride contract and let the good citizens have what they want: untreated water. Maybe then, those that remain silent all too often, will get off their butts and voice their opinions.
ReplyDelete4:20 poster
DeleteYou really think that people weren't respectful at the 2/2 meeting? They were. However, from the moment people showed up they were under attack. Cherie went up to people with signs, before the regular meeting started, telling people to ditch the signs. She harassed people. Then with her gavel crazed pounding, she set the tone. Rude, rude rude.
The people just responded out of shock and frustration. There are many more RUDE pro-fluoride (like that fat little grey haired fireplug of a woman) than the Against Fluoride people. to Answer your three questions: 1) free speech is not pretty or polite. Never has been, never will be. It's often loud. Often contentious. Welcome to America. 2.) dentists support fluoride because they are brainwashed. Period. It's taught to them in dental school, and the few independent thinkers in the DDS world don't support it. But, most people have forgotten HOW to think (or never knew). There is BIG $$$$$$ in disposing of an industrial waste by selling it!! Why else does Delta Dental have billions of dollars to spare? Think about why there is so much money for this. Think about how it's a false promise -- in the 60's fluoride was supposed to end cavities, 100%. Has it? No. And, if you don't do your own research and get some knowledge (mechanic, medicine, or plumber) you're a sucker. Be an informed consumer, not a pawn.
There are no "consumers" of toxic industrial waste.
DeletePeople need to wrap their heads around the simple notion that big chemical disposes of their waste every cheap way they can, oceans, lakes, rivers, and even public water supplies.
Anywhere there is water, to them that's a waste dump.
It's hard for good people to even begin to imagine how far depraved the CEOs are, but they are. They get paid the big bucks because they are true sociopaths, no one else would sleep at night doing what they do.
If they were to put this stuff in the air, the ground, the rivers or the ocean it would be a pollutant and they would be fined by the EPA.
DeleteIf they put it in your city's drinking water it is medicinal. Get your dentist to explain that.
Anonymous 5:53 AM is correct. If the truck delivering this stuff were to crash and spill it, it would be considered a hazardous waste cleanup. But, if the truck makes it to the city water plant and dumps it into the water supply...Well, that's just an "additive."
DeleteAnd that's just crazy.
Council meeting tonight a real dud, the four are getting the low turnout they knew would eventually happen.
ReplyDeleteIt's the flu, lots of people laid low. Still going to be an interesting summer at ole city hall.
DeleteOf course. And the streets in the towns the Germans occupied during WW2 were really quiet at night, too.
DeleteJust because you can make up laws to silence people does not mean they agree with what you're doing.
That's what I was afraid of. This is just going to go away and they'll be allowed to continue to do whatever they want, sucking the life and the funds out of PA.
DeleteStill nothing about any of this in the craptastic PDN.
ReplyDeleteTotal chaos and dysfunction at the County? You bet.
Burning houses that have to be allowed to burn rather than collapse the bluff they're perched on? You bet - with video!
More scheming, whining, misuse of public funds and assaulting of both facts and the public good in City Hall? Nothing. Not. A. Word.
The new PDN head bottle washer is a joke and a shill for the "rag's" Canadian (Canadien) interests. He must have been briefed by Brewer prior to being assigned. Now as to the latest BS about Kidd, I would like to know if she is "connected" in anyway to local business? Excuse my ignorance if this is tribal knowledge. What brings me to this point as being a resident since 2004 (big mistake), is that all I have seen is fiasco after fiasco in this town. Fluoride, bluffs, waterfront projects, sewage issues, Lincoln Theater slash mouse habitat, Judge Porter, Gase, tram, levy's not passing, businesses failing, homeless rising, PUD rates climbing, drugs, pay or appear, Nippon leaving, Westport moving, etc....No airline service for people, Deer Park underpass, costs of incarceration at local jail, and the list goes on. Have not seen a bright light on the horizon, well...since ever. Now for a positive point. The area is still beautiful albeit in spite of lack of code enforcement for illegal tree cutting and grow sheds (pot.) We have the PABA now that will give us a public access TV channel, the college is going gangbusters, especially for kids that never finished high school for GED's, we still have a symphony, somewhat of an arts community, but still no available cash to support these endeavors as in "disposable income". Our growing older population will not permit it without having some kind of decent paying jobs that are not "semi-retired physician, lawyer, government pencil pusher or PUD management. Timber people have their stash but don't give that up easily for pubic improvement and do not have the interest in doing so. I am done.
DeleteAnd still nothing about the letter from Cherie's (City-funded) lawyer, or Cherie's whiny letter, in the always reliable PDN. Yes, you can count on the PDN; they will always let you down.
DeleteYes, CK, and notice that the PDN has also disabled the ability to comment on the flimsy story they did spew out. Their efforts to stop the flow of information are obvious to anyone who is paying attention, who knows what's really going on. It's shameful.
DeleteSeems like many of the articles in the PDN now have the comments function turned off - guess they don't want anyone pointing out their flawed reporting or breaking any news ahead of them?
DeleteIf you notice the PDN is so proud of the number of hits on their website. They use it to pump up their advertising rates. Let the comments section dry up and their bragging rights dry up too. We should picket the PDN with signs saying, "PDN, Promoting ignorance for 150 years." Take photos of the protesters with the PDN building in the background. Send the photos to Sound Publishing and Black Press president, David Black in Victoria. If we don't get any relief we get the protesters and their signs, get on the Coho and go picket in front of their home office in Victoria. Then the Times Colonist will cover it and embarrass Black in his own home town. Send that set of photos to the other major papers in Canada. It takes commitment but a few hours spent in earnest will get the desired results. Step one, get a polite mob together and picket the PDN on a bright sunny day, around noon time, when the lunch traffic is on the street. Let's make it a party, bring a guitar, if you are a juggler, bring your best act, draw pictures in chalk on the sidewalk in front of PDN, hoist an effigy of David Black, the ultimate owner of PDN. Embarrass the assholes into submission. It works. Who will organize the protest in front of PDN?
DeleteAND STILL NO WORD in the limp rag PDN about all these behind the scenes letters and maneuvers and pressure being applied. Sure, they have an article about the Ethic Board(s), but manage to avoid sharing any new, relevant information.
DeleteI think there needs to be a very public expose' of some kind that this so-called newspaper is engaging in such heavy handed and blatant ways of controlling what the public knows about what is going on in the community.
DeleteI can see a show like The Daily Show, or Lee Camp having a field day with this.
What is going on in Port Angeles requires outside attention.
Hey Anon 8:52, we're working on it. It'll be a week, or two, or three. But things are going to change.
DeleteThe way the city council reacted to the residents concerns, by passing motions to try to silence it's own people, set the rules for us all. If they think they can just bully us all into submission, then it seems bullying and gross power is the language they are asking responses to be in.
It is going to be a fun next couple of months. Or longer. They are setting the tone.
Letters have been written by some folk here urging the owners of the PDN to please look into the local press and they have shown through their lack of even a "thank you for your comments" that they just don't care. It seems their model is all about brining in the advertising dollars. Actual information and true journalism is secondary.
DeleteBut, we see the PDN IS capable of getting a story out within 24 hours. All that does is reveal how intentional the piece of crap is in NOT telling the public what is going on.
ReplyDeleteBut that salmon habitat restoration might impact private property rights? Get that out to the public right away!
RCW 9A.82.010(4): "Criminal profiteering" means any act, including any anticipatory or completed offense, committed for financial gain, that is chargeable or indictable under the laws of the state in which the act occurred...
ReplyDeleteTake a close hard look at your elected officials.
Or are you afraid of what you might find?
So....If the hospital catches on fire, they'll have to let it burn too?
ReplyDeleteThe fire will go out when it slides into the water. Duh!
DeleteWhen you grind ad hominim do you get grits?
ReplyDeleteIt's a good bet that the ethics board will cave in just like a bluff under a burning house. Watch.
ReplyDeleteSo the meeting to continue the deliberation about Cherie is closed to the public under that RCW eh? Here is the RCW:
ReplyDelete(f) To receive and evaluate complaints or charges brought against a public officer or employee. However, upon the request of such officer or employee, a public hearing or a meeting open to the public shall be conducted upon such complaint or charge;
So if you were the accused and you felt strongly that you were in the right, wouldn't you WANT the meeting to be open to the public? Cherie has the option to request this be open to the public but of course she won't because she's just a fraidy cat after all and somewhere in her pea brain must know she's just digging herself in deeper with her lying.
When Brooke Nelson (with Cherie Kidd's support) made her bogus "ethics complaint" against Max Mania, he chose to have any and all discussion of it in a public meeting, not behind closed doors, because he didn't have anything to hide. And you might recall that then-Mayor Kidd would not allow him to ask questions during the discussion.
DeleteNow, Cherie herself wants closed doors, and again wants no questions asked. Is that how an innocent person behaves?
She has never known what proper procedure is, on anything. Not even a desire to want to know.
DeleteAnyone can file with the Council a letter of displeasure, and actually that might assist them when the punishment phase comes.
Noted that the Fluoride Four voted as a block (again) on the disposition of the Carnegie building. It'll be stonewalls and gridlock until we can get at least one of those crooks out of city hall.
ReplyDeleteSPEAKING OF THE CARNEGIE...Would the person who sent in the comment (not for publication) on that subject mind if I did publish it? I ask because, when unapproved comments come in, I can only read the first few lines, so I could only read a portion of the message you sent. I'd like to read the whole thing, but to do so, I would need to hit the "publish" button. You're anonymous, so hopefully you'll say yes...Let me know.
DeleteMeanwhile...On a planet with enough oxygen to support intelligent life...Marolee Smith has written a really nice letter in response to all of Cherie's (and her lawyer's) shenanigans over the past week. If people are interested, I'll post it here for all to read.
ReplyDeleteYes please! She's taken on alot of work all by herself to create a voice for all of us.
DeleteI have posted it at maroleesmith.com
ReplyDeleteThanks, Marolee. Take a trip and read, people.
Deleteprint it, it is sublime...
ReplyDeleteSearch terms bringing people here in the last 24 hours include:
ReplyDelete"cherie + kidd + edc"
"cherie kidd port angeles complaint"
"port angeles washington corrupt"
Interesting "Update" from the EDC:
Deletehttp://nebula.wsimg.com/0c80c4a8bb77f98e1ccc49653fa7f2d5?AccessKeyId=253FFB2FD41A2F7B9BB4&disposition=0&alloworigin=1
Maybe time for a special EDC dissection thread?
"No action will be taken at this meeting."
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that no action will be taken, ever. A statement will be issued using words and phrases like "for the good of the community", "healing", "move forward" and such. Kidd will receive no punishment.
Hey CK,
ReplyDeleteI'm taking submissions for Cherie Kidd artwork that will be complied into a zine we can pass out during the upcoming tourist season. Zine will be complied anonymously as to protect the participants. I will accept any entry as long as its relevant to the Cherie Kidd. One need not be an "artist" to submit. Simply print out your favorite Kidd photo and scrapbook or collage your masterpiece. Since logic does not work with these people we will use art. My email is deadacisbunnicus@gmail.com. Send submissions and I will compile them for a zine to be released asap!
Dan Gase and Pat Downey editions coming soon!
Awesome! This is great news. Glad to hear it.
DeleteI'll be creating some hand outs to pass out to waiting customers of the Coho, and organizing friends to stand at at the McDonalds intersection with easy to read placards.
And, handouts that will be distributed to residents and tourists about which hotels, motels, stores, restaurants and coffee shops sell foods made with poisoned water. It will note that restaurants, coffee shops, hotels and such in Sequim don't have Port Angeles' problems.
We in America believe in informed consent and CHOICE. Yes. In America, we don't like our choices taken away. You know, if I want to buy a gun, you better not think about taking my choice away. Property rights? Don't even think about telling me what I can do with my property."Big Government" can't take my choices away.
So, plan ahead Port Angeles. I and others will be giving lots of people lots of choices.
I like the Kidd artwork idea. What I've noticed is missing is political cartoons in the Port O Call. I would do it do it but my drawings are as good as Kidd and Gase at being honest and transparent.
Deleteziomkowski gets $1.5 million....oops.
ReplyDeleteKidd's 1st Board made their final decision today, the decision to do as little as possible, short of nothing.
ReplyDeleteThey'll recommend a mere verbal admonishment. Less than a slap on the wrist. Bloor successful again at damage control. And the fancy tax-paid lawyer? They didn't want to deal with him, just pay his damn bill for doing nothing, willya? So we can get our kickback.