COUNTY: Transparency issue arises

In the April 14 article, “Optional Forms struggle looks dead,” Bill Brooks was quoted calling citizen attendees of the commission study “thugs.” I wasn’t aware that the multitude of citizenry spanning generations, races, social and economic classes who called for integrity and transparency in the committee process were “violent or brutish criminals or bullies.”

Speaking of a lack of transparency, a public records request revealed an email forwarded from Bill Brooks’ personal email address to his public office email address, then forwarded to Dan Gookin on May 8, 2019, titled “Fwd: smaller” with an attachment titled “Forms of County Government (Highlighted).pdf”. The body of the email reads:

“Here’s a scanned copy of the 1997 report. Some of those that think this is an idea worth discussing are planning on meeting at 3pm on May 25. You are cordially invited. It will be a small, private meeting – b invitation only. -Bill”

From the beginning, the optional forms of government initiative has shown to not be of interest to the majority, rather, to the select few who like to have secret meetings behind closed doors and utilize public office to push their personal agenda.

This second attempt to change the form of government with more bureaucracy was, yet again, foiled by active participants in politics who are refusing to be governed by their inferiors. I applaud the committee members who stood for transparency and integrity for the commission study process, and I applaud the active citizenry for exposing the corruption and cronyism in Kootenai County. Thank you for saving our county from the needless spending and time of putting an initiative on a ballot that would ultimately fail.

SARAH RICHARDS

Post Falls