[Vision2020] Hawkins' Agreement Screams for Legal Review

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the January 7, 2012 edition of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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Hawkins' agreement screams for legal review
By Murf Raquet

Who in their right mind would sign a contract obligating millions of dollars without having their attorney review the document?

Whitman County Commissioners Greg Partch and Patrick O'Neill, that's who.

Just when we thought they had learned their lessons after years of financial bungling by the county.

What are they thinking? Better yet, what will the voters be thinking?

Last Tuesday, the commissioners, by a 2-1 vote (Commissioner Mike Largent voted no), 
approved spending an additional $5.9 million to reimburse the Boise-based Hawkins Companies for publicly owned infrastructure improvements to a parcel of land near the Idaho state line. The property is supposed to be the site of a 700,000-square-foot shopping complex, but little has been done except sinking a few test wells and moving some dirt.

The latest amount is added to the $9.1 million reimbursement agreement signed by commissioners in 2008. In all, the commissioners must find some method of financing the $15 million.

Making that more difficult, the county's investment adviser, D.A. Davidson, turned down the marketing of any bonds related to the project.

Regardless of what you think about the development and what it may or may not mean for the area's economy, you should be concerned about the document the commissioners OK'd.

Approval of the document was initially delayed because Prosecuting Attorney Denis Tracy, who also serves as the attorney for the board of commissioners, had some concerns with the agreement. However, the commissioners never consulted with Tracy about his concerns.

"I advised them that they ought to consult with their lawyer on any contract language they might come up with, and they chose specifically not to," Tracy said. "They obviously don't want legal advice."

When the agreement was discussed by the board Tuesday, Partch refused to allow Tracy to publicly discuss his concerns.

We can think of a few reasons to keep a lawyer from speaking - but this was by no means one of those.

On top of that, we're willing to bet the agreement was drawn up by the Hawkins' legal team. Sure sounds like a reason for a good look by Tracy - that's his job.

The appalling arrogance shown by Partch and aped by O'Neill is inexcusable.

We hope Tracy and others find a way to properly vet the agreement before signatures are affixed.

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Sound familiar, Moscow?


If'n y'all are interested, I have an online copy of the entire agreement, along with videos of city council discussions, after-the-fact public hearings (remember the 1912 Centerpublic discussion?), etc. etc. . . .

Quick question for the Steed-ster:  How's your golf game?
 
Seeya later, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Spokane, Washington

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown
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