Editor:

I am forever continually amazed at the disregard of the Edmonds city government towards its citizens. Several people had reached out to councilmembers to let them know the importance of citizens to be seen by our “representatives” in chambers. Councilmembers Buckshnis, Olson, and Kristiana Johnson showed up strong for the people to return to chambers. Buckshnis stated that ball games are being hosted, restaurant gatherings taking place, businesses open in Edmonds, and we should be allowed to have a hybrid meeting. Kristiana and Olson agreed.

Laura Johnson once again siding with Distelhorst and in reality, they are the same vote constantly and primarily vote against the will of the people. The logic of Laura Johnson that staff would be compromised by being in the same room is completely off the charts illogical when staff are behind plastic shields and far more than 6 feet away from citizens. Can Luke, Laura, Paine, and Monillas tell the citizens they never go to the grocery store, drug store, out to restaurants where people are less than 6 feet apart and at restaurants no masks? Can they tell the citizens they are never in social gatherings with friends where people are unmasked holding drink containers?  They would be disingenuous if they tried to!

I’m going to express the notion that the decision that Luke, Laura, Monillas, and Paine made not to allow constituents to return to chambers is not for the benefit of anyone’s health but rather, for their own convenience to be at home and it’s easier not face citizens. Citizens are beyond angry at the disregard of the people using their lame excuses as if they are “real.”  Is this government representation? We are mortified at their “decision making,” it’s reprehensible.

Another pivotal moment from Tuesday night’s meeting was the fact that an executive session was held privately due to a citizen complaint on the hate portal for Mrs. Monillas’ previous actions of drinking during council a meeting and flashing a derogatory sign at constituents. Council held a separate private meeting with all seven council members present on Zoom and upon completion of the meeting returned no less than a whopping “no action” regarding the disreputable actions of Monillas. This blatant disregard of our citizens and the political scene is reprehensible.

Do the constituents in Edmonds realize that although there is a “Code of Conduct” and a “Code of Ethics” there is no formal way to report code violations? I recently provided the council with the Snohomish County Council Ethics violations complaint process. Tuesday night was the second time I have raised the issue that a “Code of Conduct” is useless if there is no way to enforce it. My request is falling on deaf ears and blind eyes. No one has stated they will bring this forward as an agenda item. This really matters! Why should citizens have to contemplate legal action against a city or government officials when having a tool to air grievances should have been implemented long ago. It is possible to sue government officials “personally” (to avoid taking out taxpayer monies) but situations should never have to go that far if government is doing the right thing!

Having a formal complaint process would most likely be sufficient. Many of us find it very troubling that some councilmembers did not want to sanction Monillas for her troubling behavior. Councilmembers should realize that allowing negative actions over this city is in and of itself a Code of Conduct violation. They are always to put the public’s wellbeing and interest first. The Code of Conduct states that government officials are to treat the public as their most valued customer. This would be laughable if the actions of the four weren’t so reprehensible!

If you could imagine going into your favorite restaurant for dinner and being waited on by someone who had no interest in what you wanted to order. Not only that but the server has a glass of wine in the backroom. You can see the server is distracted and you aren’t sure why. You want to order chicken for dinner and the server says,  I recommend the steak instead. You say you don’t want steak. The server insists that this is in your best interest since it’s always cooked perfectly. Again, you state, I want chicken. The server then states she is going to the kitchen and find out if the chef feels like cooking that. They decide amongst themselves you are going  to have steak and if you don’t like it, oh well, you can take your business elsewhere!

This is the way government treats it “most valued customers”! In the above scenario, the restaurant would go out of business. Sadly, our government can’t go out of business when not listening to their customers. We can’t even file a complaint since there is no process for doing so. They repeatedly put off their public, they delay handling unsettled laws, they don’t hold public hearings when they are supposed to, they often don’t respond to the requests of citizens etc.  Evidenced simply by watching any given council meeting there is a continuous disregard of public requests. In closing, the government’s “most valued customer” is nothing more than words on a page! We have a few who go to bat for us, but the rest often run roughshod over them! Are we going to be in apathy and let others do the work of going to bat for them or will you stand up and hold them accountable? We need your voices to be heard too.

Please remember this quote. ‘….Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the ‘consent’ of the governed.. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…”

Cynthia Gutierrez Sjoblom
Edmonds