MISTRUST WILL LIVE ON
Based on what I saw at the last East Wenatchee Water District meetings and what I later learned from participants, mistrust between EWWD commissioners Michael McCourt and John Sterk and EWWD attorney Michael Arch on the one side, and activist Fred Wiltse and former commissioner candidates Jim C. Davis and G. Brian Egan. I think the mistrust will continue through the elections, but perhaps politics could lead to easing the mistrust.
With filing dates for commissioners to the EWWD coming up between June 1-5, politics are playing a role in all this. Both McCourt and Egan bring it up. Early in the meeting McCourt asked how much a primary election would cost and whether the money was in the budget. Director Brizendine estimated $5,000 if other elections were being held, but as much as $11,000 if three EWWD candidates were the only ones on the ballot. According to my notes McCourt then said, “We’ll get you re-elected, John. You’re doing a good job.”
I asked McCourt about those comments. He said he knew two people were interested in running, so he was concerned about the cost. He candidly admitted his comment about Sterk’s reelection was “kind of weird, a goofy comment. I was not thinking clearly about that one. I stepped on my own tongue.”
The race could be contentious. Sterk won the election to fill a vacant seat in 2007. He received only 37.2 percent of the votes to edge out Jim C. Davis by twenty-nine votes out 5,289 votes cast. Brian Egan won 26 percent of the vote. Egan said he and Davis believe Davis would have beaten Sterk if Egan were not in the race. Egan would like to replace Sterk as Commissioner, but vows not to run if Davis decides to run.
Further tension comes because the day Sterk won, witnesses, including Egan, said Sterk was “out of control” when he blasted Wiltse and another activist at a public meeting on November 7 2007. Sterk was upset by charges made in the Wenatchee World Safety Valve that Sterk had placed his election signs on public property. Sterk denied he did it, but admitted when he is upset and “I have something to say, I lean into it.”
Wiltse stands by the statements. And at the last Board meeting Sterk lectured Wiltse about the expenses and time the EWWD have incurred to answer his questions. His frustration is that none of the answers seem to resolve anything or build trust.
Egan criticized Sterk at the meeting about “scolding Wiltse publicly. Egan defended his statement to me based on his experience as a sewer commissioner and public school administrator. He said Sterk’s behavior was inappropriate for a public official at a public meeting. Egan believes Sterk could have eased tensions by saying, “Thank you Mr Wiltse for bringing that to our attention. We’ll take care of it.”
What is clear is that easing tensions are not being taken care of at the meetings. Perhaps politics will change all that.
With filing dates for commissioners to the EWWD coming up between June 1-5, politics are playing a role in all this. Both McCourt and Egan bring it up. Early in the meeting McCourt asked how much a primary election would cost and whether the money was in the budget. Director Brizendine estimated $5,000 if other elections were being held, but as much as $11,000 if three EWWD candidates were the only ones on the ballot. According to my notes McCourt then said, “We’ll get you re-elected, John. You’re doing a good job.”
I asked McCourt about those comments. He said he knew two people were interested in running, so he was concerned about the cost. He candidly admitted his comment about Sterk’s reelection was “kind of weird, a goofy comment. I was not thinking clearly about that one. I stepped on my own tongue.”
The race could be contentious. Sterk won the election to fill a vacant seat in 2007. He received only 37.2 percent of the votes to edge out Jim C. Davis by twenty-nine votes out 5,289 votes cast. Brian Egan won 26 percent of the vote. Egan said he and Davis believe Davis would have beaten Sterk if Egan were not in the race. Egan would like to replace Sterk as Commissioner, but vows not to run if Davis decides to run.
Further tension comes because the day Sterk won, witnesses, including Egan, said Sterk was “out of control” when he blasted Wiltse and another activist at a public meeting on November 7 2007. Sterk was upset by charges made in the Wenatchee World Safety Valve that Sterk had placed his election signs on public property. Sterk denied he did it, but admitted when he is upset and “I have something to say, I lean into it.”
Wiltse stands by the statements. And at the last Board meeting Sterk lectured Wiltse about the expenses and time the EWWD have incurred to answer his questions. His frustration is that none of the answers seem to resolve anything or build trust.
Egan criticized Sterk at the meeting about “scolding Wiltse publicly. Egan defended his statement to me based on his experience as a sewer commissioner and public school administrator. He said Sterk’s behavior was inappropriate for a public official at a public meeting. Egan believes Sterk could have eased tensions by saying, “Thank you Mr Wiltse for bringing that to our attention. We’ll take care of it.”
What is clear is that easing tensions are not being taken care of at the meetings. Perhaps politics will change all that.
Posted by JSR at 4/23/2009 1:23 AM 
Categories: Serving Others,Politics
Tags: East Wenatchee Water District John Sterk Michael McCourt Fred Wiltse
Categories: Serving Others,Politics
Tags: East Wenatchee Water District John Sterk Michael McCourt Fred Wiltse
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