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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>My thanks to Darrell Keim, Jon Kimberling, Tom
Hudson and Melynda Huskey for all making the same point: we can have and we
should welcome a thoughtful discussion of issues, and even of the actions of
individuals, in a way that strengthens not weakens our community.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>That was, of course, the fundamental goal that
inspired the founding of Vision2020 more than 10 years ago.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Periodically this non-moderated discussion strays
from that goal, and the example and the reminder is needed.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>BL</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=keim@moscow.com href="mailto:keim@moscow.com">Darrell Keim</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, August 06, 2004 11:18
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [Vision2020] Re: conflict of
interest</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Melynda,<BR><X-TAB> </X-TAB>Thank
you for your thoughtful reply to my somewhat sarcastic broadsiding of
Wayne. I am aware of the issues you so ably summarized. I also
agree they are points of concern. I do not deny the possibility of their
being issues. What caused me to write was exactly the polarization you
mention below. I saw a polarized note from Wayne, making many ad hominem
attacks against Kimmell and those that don't think he is the devil
incarnate. The points you raised were not being reasonably
discussed. Rather, many people were simply name calling. I'm all
for reasoned discussion. The unreasoned discussion that was going on
stirred me to write. I have a few more comments below:<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">Message: 2<BR>Date: Fri, 06 Aug
2004 08:59:01 -0700<BR>From: "Melynda Huskey"
<mghuskey@msn.com><BR>Subject: RE: [Vision2020] re: conflict of
interest<BR>To: vision2020@moscow.com<BR>Message-ID:
<BAY11-F308lxy4DlYWy000025ad@hotmail.com><BR>Content-Type: text/plain;
format=flowed<BR><BR>Darrell raises some points that I'm sure others are
wondering about, too. <BR>He writes:<BR><BR>>1. I
find it disturbing that a man is being raked through the mud <BR>>simply
because he is a member of a church that has a pastor with some odd
<BR>>views . . . Paul is being castigated for being a member of Christ
Church <BR>>and, undeniably, making one bad decision in not removing
himself from a <BR>>Commissioner vote. Does knowing Paul Kimmell attends
Christ Church allow us <BR>>to accurately infer everything else about
him?<BR><BR>One difficulty about this medium--Vision 2020 in particular and
email in <BR>general--is that it invites polarization, and each pole is
defined by the <BR>most extreme or "spirited" position taken. Although I,
for one, have grave <BR>concerns about the possible conflicts of interest, I
don't have them because <BR>of Paul Kimmell's membership in a particular
church. I'm looking at <BR>patterns of behavior:</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Again, I
agree with your approach. And applaud you for taking it. I wish
everyone did!<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">Paul Kimmell is described in
church meeting minutes--to which he had access <BR>and to which he could
have asked for revisions--as willing to accept <BR>oversight by the church's
elders on some issues (unspecified).</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>To this I will repeat an
earlier point-How do we know that Wilson accurately reflects the conversation
in his minutes?<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">Paul served as a land agent for
the church.<BR><BR>In his capacity as President for the Chamber, he made
staff hiring decisions <BR>which systematically favored members of his own
church.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>True. Is this a problem with Kimmell? Or,
is this a problem with the hiring processes of the Chamber, and the board of
directors Paul is governed by? He doesn't operate in a vacuum over
there...<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">Church email was used to promote
his election.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Undeniably a wrong thing to do. Did Paul
instigate or condone it? Did Wilson? Has anyone here ever made a
political email from their state owned email? Has anyone here used the
internet for personal use while at work? All are equally
wrong.<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">He did not recuse himself from a
vote on the tax exempt status of businesses <BR>related to his church. At
the hearing on that status, inaccurate <BR>information was presented to
justify the request.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Certainly a mistake he made. I'll
bet he's regretting it now!<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">Those behaviors would cause me
concern no matter what church Paul attended. </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>I'm glad to hear
it, and I agree. Let me ask the board to search their souls and consider
this:<BR>Would this issue loom so large if Paul attended First United
Methodist Church?<BR>For some of us it might. But I strongly suspect
that for those polarized against Christ Church it would not.<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">It's quite true that he was found
not guilty of a violation of the conflict <BR>of interest statutes for his
vote on the tax exemption. He's absolutely <BR>innocent of breaking the law
in this matter. But for me, at any rate, there <BR>are ethical questions
beyond the legal dimension. </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Agreed. But, does that mean
we should allow the kind of personal attacks that have been happening?<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">Has Paul served Latah <BR>County
well while blending these roles? </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Certainly a matter for
discussion. Strikes me that we will know the general consensus at the
next election.<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">On what issues, exactly, might
<BR>Christ Church elders have been given oversight on Paul's decisions or
<BR>positions, and what were the consequences of that
oversight?</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>And, just as important, what does oversight
mean?<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"> Has Paul <BR>served the
Chamber and Moscow businesses evenhandedly? Was he aware that <BR>the
information presented to the Board of Equalization was
inaccurate?<BR><BR>I'll probably never know the answers to those questions.
But they remain <BR>important questions for me.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>As they
should. Reasoned civic discussion is an important part of
democracy. Notice I said reasoned. If only everyone could stick to
that!<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">I also recognize that it's very
hard to ask these questions without being <BR>perceived as mean or maybe
driven by a vendetta.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Actually, I disagree with you here. I
don't perceive honest questions as being a sign of a vendetta. Personal
attacks, on the other hand...<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite"> Ours is a small town, where
<BR>we see each other all the time, in all kinds of places. Unlike Seattle,
<BR>say, or Columbus, Ohio, when I say something critical of a governmental
<BR>official, I do so knowing that I'm likely to see him tomorrow in
Rosauers or <BR>McCoy's or the Needle Nook or the Red Door. That makes it
just a little <BR>harder to speak up.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Again, agreed. And
it makes it more important to keep the discourse civil. It also makes it
a little harder for elected officials to avoid the appearance of a conflict of
interest. Moscow is a tiny town, really. All our business leaders
are in the same proverbial bed, and it ain't a king sized mattress! For
a local business person to succeed they, almost by definition, are going to
find themselves in instances that could be perceived wrongly. Sometimes,
especially when you know someone, trust in their judgement and ability must
come into play.<BR><BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">Constant readers know I've never
made any secret of my distaste for <BR>Kimmell's pastor and his views--just
as Doug Wilson has been pretty open <BR>about his disdain for me and mine.
</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>And, I certainly don't blame you for your views regarding
Wilson. But, must the eye of v2020's suspicion also automatically go to
all members of Christ Church?<BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=cite cite="" type="cite">But there is a middle ground
possible, <BR>where serious questions are not necessarily personal attacks,
and where <BR>public officials can be held to high standards without
personal animosity on <BR>either side.</BLOCKQUOTE><BR>We may not agree on all
things regarding Kimmell, but I applaud you on your ability to make good,
reasonable, logical discussion points. Thank you for allowing me to make
a few of my own.<BR>Darrell (Your friendly <I>cheap, old, naive, basketball
playing gearhead supremacist with a fondness for sheep and
potatoes.</I>)<BR><BR>PS-See Wayne? Reasonable discussion. A
debate without raising voices! That wasn't so hard.
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