SUPPORT FOR CHIEF WALSER (& The Sultan Police Department) During Rowe's "Reign of Terror"

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TRANSCRIPTIONS:
A 9-6-02 an Exclusive Interview with Chief Walser (in Word)

Did Rowe act properly when he asked for Chief's resignation, or did he violate the Open Meetings Act? YOU decide (in Word)

Rowe says he laid off three cops in January because of the budget. YOU Decide... (in Word)

8-21-02 Council Mtg. Carolyn Case re PD situation; Councilmember comments re Walser (in Word, in Adobe Acrobat)

Other GRIT Transcriptions

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Read previous GRIT editorials

1/8/03: An emailed message from John Dick to his representatives, re Chief Walser:

" Dear Sultan City Council,
As my representative of our city, I would respectfully ask that you take a look at www.ittakesgrit.org and compare the letter from the mayor to the chief of police and the response to that letter. It was posted because four of you did not show any interest in what the mayor does behind our backs. That's Sad.
As my representative I would ask you to ask the mayor about this at the next council meeting. I, as a citizen, cannot ask questions at council meetings so it is up to the people who represent me to ask them for me. I can only guess that is why you wanted to be a member of the council -- so you could represent the people.
It is plain to me that there are sufficient differences in what the mayor wants and what the police chief has documented. It also appears that what the mayor did last summer was illegal. As a member of this community I would hope we would hold the mayor's office accountable for such actions that affect so many people. Please represent my interest. it is your job.
Thank- you, John Dick"

 

Explanation for this page: In an illegal action during the summer of 2002, Mayor Rowe placed Chief Walser on suspension without giving anyone outside his most-trusted inner circle a clue as to the reason.

The sign worked! (Read Rowe's letter to Walser; looks like Rowe had a "Heil" of'a time writing it!) While we're on the subject of heavy-handedness, let's fly over the Mayor's Nest again and pick out another old chestnut, exercising one of his best tools to confound and confuse: Deflecting attention from his own misdeeds by showing concern for others in his own area of misbehavior. This appeared last April on our website: A memo from the mayor's archive.... (of particular interest, perhaps, in light of the mayor's behavior at last April's Safe Stop )

Well, what's Mr. Dick got his knickers in an crunch about NOW??? Oh, nothing much. Just a couple of letters Mayor Rowe refuses to release which "ordered" Chief Fred Walser back to work when Rowe placed him on paid leave without any cause or explanation. It's unsure who wrote these letters, because Rowe has publicly disavowed authoring them, although they bore his signature which was no doubt the infamous and much-used rubber stamp that keeps floating around city hall. The letters ended a two-month paid leave for the Chief and a standoff between the mayor and the Chief, the police department and most of Sultan's residents, costing the city many thousands of dollars in legal fees. The ill-considerd mayoral action also placed residents in a safety emergency, as several police officers left after Rowe told them in a staff meeting that residents were "tired of their Gestapo tactics." Release of these letters has been approved by everyone (including the city attorney, twice), but for some unfathomable reason, Ol' Charming and Handsome Rowe says, "No go!" This is in greivous violation of Washington's Public Information Act, chapter 42.17, the preamble of which states: "The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so they may maintain control over the instruments they created." Words to live and stand by. Visit our Public Information Page...

A sampling of what folks are thinking....

Or read the entire transcription [in Word] from the July 17, 2002 council meeting or the August 7, 2002 [In Word] council meeting - Audio copies on CD or tape are available upon request

NEWS ARTICLES THIS SUBJECT:

Herald 9-7-02 Article: Chief "ordered" back to work by Mayor
Herald 9-6-02 article: Walser files slander claim against Councilmember Criswell
Herald Letter to the Editor (8-9-02) by Sultan PD Records Clerk Carol Case: "Brouhaha is a kind way to describe Mess"
Herald Editorial Staff Opinion 8-9-02: "Sultan Drama Puts City, Officers in Real Danger"
Herald 8-8-02 article re SULTAN'S POLICE EMERGENCY
The Monitor's Ken Robinson's Editorial: "It's time for Rowe to go."
Herald 8-7-02 Story: Changing Sultgan's government
Herald's 8-3-02 story re Mayor Rowe putting PD Chief Walser on Paid leave
Herald 7-30-02: Letter to the Editor re Chief Walser/PD Herald Editorial: "Bruhaha makes us look like a hick town" (ya think?)
Herald 7-30-02: Letter to the Editor: "Who will benefit from the gravel?" - by Sultan's own Andi Lineweaver
Herald 7-30-02: INDEX MAYOR KEM HUNTER testifies in Washington, D.C.
Herald 7-28-02: Monroe Councilman Larson Resigns Admid Controvery
Herald 7-26-02: PUD Tunnel on Sultan Basin Road
Herald Letters to Editor: Wrong person asked to resign (Ex-police Chief Taggart's letters to the editor
Herald 7-23-02 Letters to the Editor: Tim Scoville's 7-23-02 Opinion on Mayor's action re Walser
Herald 7-17-02: 100 People Protest Mayor's decision; community voices strong support for Chief Walser
Herald 7-16-02: Sultan Mayor Asks Chief Walser to Resign

EDITORIALS:

G.R.I.T. Editorial "Bully for Walser"

Everett Herald Editorials & Letters to the Editor:

A Herald Editorial Opinion: "Sultan Drama Puts City, Officers in Real Danger"

Herald 7-30-02: Letter to the Editor re Chief Walser/PD Herald Editorial: "Brouhaha makes us look like a hick town" (ya think?)

Letter to the Editor from Carol Case, Sultan PD Records Clerk "Brouhaha is a kind way to describe mess"

Monroe Monitor Editorials by Ken Robinson (in Adobe Acrboat):

Time for Rowe to Go (8-8-02)

Sultan in Turmoil (8-14-02)

WALSER: Questions on Civil Service rules re possible resignation and/or removal by the Mayor. Perhaps some answers here in Sultan's Civil Service Code (aparently the controlling law/codes for this process) (in Word) Also read Transcription of exchange between Councilmember Jeff Everett and City Attorney Bruce Keithly re this subject.