EDITORIAL OPINION: Who’s Running Sultan?

This statement is the basis of the Public Information Act and is the sole reason it exists. Have we forgotten that we created government to support basic taxpayer needs – not prostitute its populace?

The stated philosophy of the relationship between government and the people as stated in the Public Information Act is, with few exceptions, non-existent in this town. We’re not sure who is in charge, but it is not the taxpayers and residents of Sultan. The people currently making decisions on our future are motivated largely by self-interest. Worse, some of the most influential individuals don’t even live here, and therefore have no "vested" interest except in furthering their careers. When the damage is done to this town, these people will move on, using what has been done to Sultan as a stepping stone to another job, leaving us with the ruins of what we once had.

I believe there is a higher authority than the law itself. I believe in the integrity and basic goodness of people to do what’s right, not necessarily what’s expedient. And while I believe in the law, and our responsibility to follow it, I believe we have reached critical mass in our development whereby interpretation of legal issues should weigh heavily against those of a moral nature, tipping the scale in favor of what’s right. Not necessarily what’s simply legal. Reflect on this philosophy in light of what happened in Germany prior to World War II.

I believe our actions define who we are. Especially as it applies to our leaders. If our leaders set the example and provide a moral yardstick, others will follow.

There was an Everett Herald story this summer quoting a councilmember who was lamenting about the fact that the Council couldn’t get their work done because too much time was being taken up during the public comment period. If the City followed its own codes, and stood behind them instead of a lawyer’s wall of words, there would be no need to spend 30-60 minutes during every council meeting trying to address the concerns of its citizens.

There’s a time to follow, and there’s a time to lead. When someone is leading you toward destruction, or at the least, somewhere you don’t wish to go, it is time to say, "NO!" and go your own way. To many that will (unfortunately) mean moving away, at a time we can use everyone’s heart and muscle to turn the town around by making our government accountable to its own laws.

We stand on the precipice of uncontrollable development. Do we mindlessly follow, and jump off, losing everything we hold dear? Or do we choose a different way? It’s our choice.