[Vision2020] Conflict of Interest
Bruce and Jean Livingston
jeanlivingston at turbonet.com
Sun Oct 19 13:44:24 PDT 2008
Tom,
I think that those who wished to sell water to Hawkins, including Wayne, expressed that desire firmly and publicly long before Wayne took a job with James Toyota.
There is no doubt that many disagree with policy choices relating to this issue. There are many reasons, firmly and honestly held on both sides, that support the varied conclusions that our elected officials have reached. I have no problem with anyone questioning the wisdom of particular choices.
I was simply expressing my personal belief that it was unnecessary to tar anyone with improper motives, when it seems plain to me that the votes were based on each Council members' particular belief that resolving the water issues with Hawkins was best accomplished when done in the manner they supported with their vote.
I will give you this. It is a little surprising that the City is trying so hard to change state law to allow the City to sell water across the state line.
But I just don't see anything crooked about someone trying to accompllish that policy change. The more worthwhile point to debate, for me would be why the desire to change that state law, and whether the sale of water to one group across the state line is a good or bad idea, what consequences are there for the sale to one such group, when others may follow, etc. Those substantive issues seem much more significant topics for debate than speculating on motives and maligning someone who happens to be on the other side of the issue.
Bruce
----- Original Message -----
From: Tom Hansen
To: Bruce and Jean Livingston ; vision2020 at moscow.com ; Tom Hansen
Cc: dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us ; jweber at moscow.com ; tlamar at moscow.com ; blambert at ci.moscow.id.us ; wmsteed at aol.com ; nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us ; wkrauss at ci.moscow.id.us
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2008 12:59 PM
Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Conflict of Interest
Bruce -
The primary reason I suspected that Councilman Krauss' vote may possibly not reflect the best interests of Moscow is that Mr. Krauss voted, on October 6th, in favor of pursuing "any and all" options in obtaining an agreement with Hawkins Companies, a mere three working days after his employment by James Toyota.
http://www.moscowcares.com/100608_HawkinsAgreement.htm
This, coupled with a few of the city council meeting secretly with Hawkins Companies in Spokane, left the proverbial bad taste in my mouth.
What makes this seem even more peculiar is the motion and passage of the above linked agenda item subsequent to the city council's receipt of the Office of the State Attorney General's guidance (in a letter dated August 27, 2008 - attached) stating:
" . . . Deputy Attorney General Strack stated, that, '[a]side from the implied authority derived from the Joint Exercise of Powers Act and Idaho Code 50-1022 through -1025, we have found no authority in the Idaho Code allowing a city to provide water and sewer services to out-of-state customers.'"
Perhaps the chronology of these occurrences is mere coincidence and my concern is ill-founded. Prior to October 6th I was of the impression that all was pretty much "said and done" concerning this matter.
Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> From: jeanlivingston at turbonet.com
> To: vision2020 at moscow.com; thansen at moscow.com
> Date: Sun, 19 Oct 2008 11:47:04 -0700
> CC: dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us; jweber at moscow.com; tlamar at moscow.com; blambert at ci.moscow.id.us; wmsteed at aol.com; nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us; wkrauss at ci.moscow.id.us
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Conflict of Interest
>
> I fail to see how this is a conflict of interest, and I trust Councilman
> Krauss to vote his conscience on water issues relating to the Hawkins
> development. People may agree or disagree on the substance of his vote, but
> to sugget that if he votes on the issue that he would somehow be voting out
> of a personal financial interest is wrong under what constitutes a conflict
> of interest, I think, and more importantly, moving the discussion toward
> personal attacks and away from the substance of the vote in unhelpful ways.
>
> To suggest that the potential of greater income in a part-time job based on
> the possibility of greater traffic provides a pecuniary interest that would
> buy Wayne's vote misses the mark on the direct, non-speculative, pecuniary
> interest needed to rise to the level of a conflict of interest. More
> importantly, it is insulting to the extent that it overlooks the fact that
> he is a man that exemplifies the principle that "his word is his bond," and
> he votes out of honestly held principle, regardless of whether you agree
> with him or not on a particular vote. Everyone on our Council is doing
> their utmost to serve the people of this City as they believe is best and
> voting accordingly. It is important to remember that almost always our
> different viewpoints account for political differences in votes, and unless
> there is much more to suggest a real conflict of interest, raising such
> allegations too easily get misconstrued and operates to impugn people's
> principles, honor and reputation.
>
> That is unhelpful civic disourse.
>
> People may disagree about the way Wayne votes on a particular issue, but I
> don't think we have a thing to fear about him -- or any of our other
> Councilmembers -- voting in a way to somehow line their pockets, which is
> what a conflict of interest allegation in this context means to me. The
> Hills, who are good people and the owners of James Toyota, moved to the
> corridor primarily to own their own land and stop renting, but also to place
> themselves between their customers in Pullman and Moscow, clearly hoping to
> make themselves more convenient to more people and increase the number of
> customers who visit. That they happen to be near the Hawkins development is
> irrelevant to me. To suggest that the Council is trying to aid the Hawkins
> development in order to benefit financially either themselves or nearby
> landowners and businesses, like James Toyota, Champion Electric or Busch
> Distributors, seems misguided, without basis, and disrespectful of our
> elected representatives' principles and character.
>
> If Wayne were voting on things to be done on the Hills' property, then your
> suggestion of a conflict might have more force, but in general, I would like
> to see us focus on ideas more and personalities and attacks less.
>
> Colin Powell said some important things today on Meet the Press about his
> discomfort with a faction of the Republican party that feels comfortable
> labeling Barack Obama as a terrrorist and suggesting that there might be
> something wrong with being a muslim in this country or that being a muslim
> would somehow be disqualifying in seeking office as an American.
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/27265490#27265490
>
> Just as General Powell concluded that it was time for a change, from these
> sort of polarizing attacks on people instead of debating ideas, I do think
> that restraining ourselves from personal attacks will go a long way toward
> improving substantive discussions and our sense of community.
>
> Bruce Livingston
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tom Hansen" <thansen at moscow.com>
> To: <vision2020 at moscow.com>
> Cc: <dcarscallen at ci.moscow.id.us>; <jweber at moscow.com>; <tlamar at moscow.com>;
> <blambert at ci.moscow.id.us>; <wmsteed at aol.com>; <nchaney at ci.moscow.id.us>;
> <wkrauss at ci.moscow.id.us>
> Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2008 8:22 AM
> Subject: [Vision2020] Conflict of Interest
>
>
> > Greetings Visionaires, Mayor Chaney, and Moscow's City Council -
> >
> > Today's Moscow-Pullman Daily News reports that Councilman Wayne Krauss has
> > been hired part-time by James Toyota.
> >
> > ------------
> >
> > New job
> >
> > It didn't take long for Wayne Krauss to find something else to do. Krauss,
> > a Moscow city councilman and former owner of Martin's Auto Service Center,
> > closed the business in May.
> >
> > At that time, he was ready for retirement, playing a little golf and
> > completing some remodel projects at his home.
> >
> > "The summer's gone, the landscaping is done and the oak cabinets are built
> > and installed," Krauss said. "And I've played all the golf I needed to
> > play."
> >
> > What's a guy to do?
> >
> > For Krauss, it was trying his hand at selling cars.
> >
> > On Oct. 1, Krauss joined the sales team at James Toyota in Moscow.
> >
> > "I was in sales all my life," he said. "I sold tires, and I'm still
> > selling them - just now the whole car comes with them."
> >
> > The job is considered full time but flexible enough to allow him to attend
> > to council business.
> >
> > James Toyota is scheduled to move into its new facility on the Pullman-
> > Moscow Highway in Washington, just across the state line in November.
> >
> > ------------
> >
> > Realizing that James Toyota stands to realize substantial revenue once the
> > Hawkins Project becomes a reality across Pullman Highway from James
> > Toyota, any vote cast by Councilman Krauss may be considered a major
> > conflict of interest.
> >
> > I, therefor, strongly encourage Councilman Krauss to abstain from any vote
> > related to the Hawkins Project, including the sale of water to Hawkins
> > Companies.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Tom Hansen
> > Moscow,
> > Idaho
> >
> > ---------------------------------------------
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> > http://www.fsr.com/
> >
> >
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