LETTER — Mayor allows another breach of protocol

Published 5:00 pm Saturday, May 23, 2015

In the May 18 Committee of the Whole meeting, Mayor Tom Vance allowed a yet another breach of meeting protocol that should not be duplicated.  Mark Cross, who should be well versed on procedure himself, having been Mayor at one time, asked to make a comment pertaining to the Klahanie annexation timeline well outside of public comment.  Mayor Vance obliged Mr. Cross’ request, and allowed him to inject his commentary.  Earlier in the same meeting, another citizen requested to make a comment, and was denied by Mayor Vance.  Not only is this unprecedented break in meeting procedure unsettling, but is illuminating on what appears to be cronyism.  I would ask our Mayor to strictly follow procedure, respecting that it exists for order and fairness.  Should candidates for Council feel they’d like to weigh in on subject matter in the future, there is a public comment period during meetings for which that can be done.  Mid-stream in a meeting is not the time or place.

-Christie Malchow, Sammamish