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Jun 10th, 2006 - 19:38:26
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Letters to the Editor
"Family Values" or "It Must Be OK to Use Elected Office for Personal Gain, Isn't It?"
While nothing illegal took place at the Commissioners' work session, it wouldn't have smelled nearly as bad if the public had been notified so interested parties could have watched Commissioner Stewart legally vote for familial gain.
By Norm Maxwell
Posted on Jun 10, 2006 |
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On Wednesday the 7th of June, I had the rare privilege of watching my County Commissioner Faye Stewart, cast the deciding vote to approve his father's Measure 37 claim at the Lane County Board of Commissioners' working session meeting. Let me make it clear that I had no idea that the Stewart Measure 37 claim was on the agenda of the Board of Commissioners. I had shown up out of interest of another Measure 37 issue near Svarverud Road where I used to live.
(To remind readers, Ballot Measure 37 passed by Oregon voters reverts allowable state land use regulations to pre-land use laws that applied when owner came into possession of title. In many cases, it means there is no longer any effective zoning and state regulation. -Editor)
To his credit, Commissioner Stewart did originally declare a "conflict of interest," but he must have known of the "rule of necessity" that would require him to cast the deciding vote. I am not the tiniest bit surprised at Commissioner Stewart's vote. I would have been shocked if he had joined with Commissioners Dwyer and Sorenson in voting against his daddy.
I am sure I am not the only one who figured out that if the Stewart family waited for Commissioner-elect, Bill Fleenor, to replace Anna Morrison, the three-to two-vote might not have been such a "lead pipe" cinch.
And the Stewart family's timing was perfect in that this Measure 37 claim did not surface before or while Commissioner Stewart was running for re-election this past May. I do not imagine this is coincidental. While nothing illegal took place at the Commissioners' work session, it wouldn't have smelled nearly as bad if the public had been notified so interested parties could have watched Commissioner Stewart legally vote for familial gain.
As it was, I was the only individual present who wasn't paid to be there. (All the other citizens had left the small conference room. The items on the public agenda were already addressed. Editor) The Register-Guard's story, Family ties tie up claim with county, on Sunday, June 4th, says that Bruce Stewart gave son Faye at least one plot of land previously. Does Commissioner Stewart get even more out of this Measure 37 windfall? If so, then it will be through legally using his office to vote the approval that makes it happen.
He uses his office to try to give us a nice, county-wide sales tax. The only truly correct thing for Commissioner Stewart to have done would to have been to vote against his father's Measure 37 claim when compelled to vote.
Better yet, the Board should have sent the thing off to Circuit Court, according to the alternative rules.
Where I work, I get annual training about avoiding even the appearance of an ethics violation. Commissioner Stewart's actions clearly fit this definition. Although many of his constituents undoubtedly see no problem with voting for relatives' interests from elected office, it will never quite stand close scrutiny in the bright light of day for many of us. Let us remind Commissioner Stewart of this decision should he ever decide to run again for re-election. Commissioner Stewart, do the right thing and resign as East Lane county commissioner. Shame, shame, shame.
Norm Maxwell
Lorane, Oregon
Postscript:
I am no longer co-president of Landwatch Lane County.
Mr. Maxwell is a regular columnist and serial novelist at WxNW.org. Watch for the next installment of Banjo Lane.
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