Where in the World is Vancouver City Council Critter Jeanne Stewart?

[Chief]

There is a tempest in a teapot brewing over alleged slights by Mayor Royce Pollard and the columbian against the honor of Vancouver City Council Woman Jeanne Stewart.

Many of the readers of this blog have seen the trumpeting e-mails that are currently making the rounds of the "Local Maling List" here in Clark County over this brou-haha this morning. Larry By-God Commander Patella has been thundering from the podium again over this, and just in case you think this is something new, think again...

Back during the last Light Rail battle, a City Council Critter named Jeanne Lipton was caught setting up a private group to oppose light rail. Larry Patella was deeply involved in that fiasco, and in many ways lead to Jeanne Lipton's abrupt departure from not only City Council, but the City of Vancouver as well.

Do we have a similar case building now with a different Jeanne??

Does Larry Patella speak for Jeanne Lipton in this current fluff-up of the local feathers??

Is Larry Patella more like Sir Galahad on his charger, or Don Quixote, uninvited, yet off tilting at another windmill??

When will Jeanne Lipton be heard about all of this, one way or another??

Developing....

cewl

[Waterbuffalo]

hmmm.. Nope.. Have not heard any thing..

But please keep me informed... She has said stuff before about being against light rail and had a nice exchange with the Mayor over her C-tran board membership. So who knows?

Probably this will be in the local paper tomorrow morning, shall I be reading?

[Chief]

No, everything is circulating via e-mail right now. Patella and his close circle of friends and even his wife, have been writing outraged letters to each other and then send them all over the place.

I'm getting rebuttals to them in my e-mail, even though I didn't put my nose into this one at all. I have at least one other City Council Critter who has responded to this, but I figured I would give Council Critter Stewart a chance to weigh in on this first. So far she has not decided to speak for herself, and has ignored the e-mailed inquiry I sent her...

Still developing...

cewl

[Waterbuffalo]

Yeah, we have not heard from the Mayor, City or any one else that I know of. Nor has it been publicly stated and this is just rumored and rampant speculation unless someone has verifiable commentary.

I'll say that I have enjoyed Jeanne Stewart's commentary. She was one of the few on the City Council that publicly who stood up and was willing to face a strong arming from outside forces through to what I saw as "special interests" dedicated to one side of two main issues in our community related to downtown development and preferred mode of transport over the Columbia River Crossing Project.

Into the next decade as the rest of fleshing out happens the very last details of final planning like when they will be able to put new peers into the Columba River and then project moves into construction phases.

I appreciate what she is doing and since there is no detail other than speculation, I can't put any firm footing on any thing unless the City or she steps out.

I know that she and the Mayor have had city council verbal jousts over the subject of her being able to "adequately" perform and could she represent the interests of "all" community members on the C-tran board, which I believe is one of the key signatory agencies related to the Columbia River Crossing Project and Downtown Vancouver Business Interests.

Lets hope that there will be more information forthcoming, so that this rumor can be substantiated or put to rest either way..

[Chief]

Updating...

Well, it looks like Jeanne Stewart either headed for the tall grass on this, or she's one of those people who cannot be bothered with Clarkblog.org...

I suspect the latter...

In any case, I've not heard from Jeanne since this latest fluff-up, and I don't expect I will any time soon...

cewl

[Waterbuffalo]

My suspvion and it might be highly *off* that Jeanne is busy and nothing happened. Just another Larry Patella mistake and blow up.

Now if there is some truth to the subject, it will be clear enough to every one soon enough if she has been replaced. Her stay and representation is up to the Mayor's prerogative I believe.

[Chief]

This whole issue is getting stoopider and stoopider by the day.

Last night, Council Critter Stewart's favorite defender showed up at City Council yet again, to scoriate the Mayor further for his supposed treatment of Stewart.

Again, when will Jeanne Stewart start speaking for herself, instead of letting Patella come in and waste Council's time endlessly??

I'll be looking for more comments on this later...

[Chief]

Just sent...

----- Original Message -----
From: Bob Koski
To: Jeanne Stewart
Cc: Tim Leavitt ; Pollard, Royce ; PatCampbell ; Pat McDonnell ; Pat Jollata ; mlauch@stimsonlumber.com ; Larry Smith ; Larry Patella ; larry martin ; Jeanne Harris ; Fran Rutherford ; dlarn ; Charles Stemper

Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 6:54 AM

Subject: Jeanne Stewart, comment please!!

Jeanne;

I just reviewed your apparent spokesman Larry Patella's comments before Council last night, and given your silence on this matter to date, I have a few more questions for you...

1. Is Larry Patella your paid spokesman?? How much are you paying him to come to City Council meetings and scoriate the Mayor in your stead??

2. Are you also organizing the letter writing campaign that he and his cohorts have started in your defense?

3. Do you think it is fair to the Public to allow Patella and his cohorts to waste Council's time on your behalf, and in your name, the way he is currently doing?

4. Have you accepted any recent campaign donations from Patella and his crew?? Are any of them on your re=election campaign staff??

5. When will you speak for yourself on this matter??

Warmest regards;

Bob Koski
www.clarkblog.org

[Chief]

In light of Larry Patella's near rabid rant in front of City Council last night, I thought I should share City Councilman Tim Leavitt's attempt to reach out to Patella several days ago.

I think Tim got his response last night, and I have Tim's permission to republish this note...


From: Tim Leavitt
Sent: Friday, May 16, 2008 11:13 AM
To: 'Local Mailing List'
Cc: Jeanne.Stewart@ci.vancouver.wa.us; 'Campbell, Pat'
Subject: They Have Crossed The Line


Hello Larry --

I appreciate reading of your opinion on matters of local government and even occasionally agree with the fundamental point you're trying to make.

However, on the latest email about the treatment of Councilmember Stewart and Councilmember Campbell, I have to take exception and respond.

The quote in your email was: "Please flood Hiz honor and the Columbian questioning why council member Stewart who in my opinion brings a breath of fresh air into the Council chambers is along with Pat Campbell is being treated so badly by the mayor and his gang of 4."

At no time during my tenure on the city council have I intended to be disrespectful to Councilmembers Stewart or Campbell, and certainly have never treated them "badly".
Neither Jeanne or Pat have discussed with me any concerns either might have about how I communicate with them.
I believe we have enough respect for each other that I can expect to hear from them if they felt anything I have said or actions I have taken have infringed on them personally.

I have a healthy respect for both Jeanne and Pat (and the other councilmembers, for that matter) and the perspectives brought to the discussion.
We agree on issues; we disagree on issues.

I certainly would appreciate your reconsideration of the statement of me as a part of "his gang of 4" that treats Jeanne or Pat badly.
I can assure you that I am no part of a "gang" that is out to treat anybody badly...

Thanks much --

tim

Tim Leavitt, P.E.

tim_leavitt@pbsenv.com
360.213.0415

[Chief]

Just in...

And here is Tim's response to Larry's rant last night. I'm putting this up here because Larry Patella is very selective about which responses to his rants he will put up at his own site.



From: Tim Leavitt
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 9:06 AM
To: Local Mailing List
Cc: Tim Leavitt
Subject: RE:


Good Morning Larry --

Thanks for coming to council meeting last night and sharing some of the information about light rail, as well as expressing your opinion on the issue.

I don't speak for the other, individually elected council members.

I do want to clarify why I didn't respond to the political candidate's question last night:

#1) The question was entirely inappropriate at this time.

The premise of the question pre-supposes that city council members have made up their mind that light rail transit is appropriate, PRIOR TO THE CLOSING OF THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD OF THE DEIS. Certainly, a couple of councilmembers are passionate about the issue and appear to have staked out positions about LRT, and that is their prerogative.

However, I have not finalized my position about high capacity transit and the CRC project. As you know, the final DEIS has been released for public review and comment, and we now have the data in the DEIS comparing the alternatives and pros/cons. I would like to hear from the public about this document. Just like your comments and emails, I will take everything into account before making a final decision. In my opinion, taking a final position prior to completion of the public process is inappropriate. I know you wouldn't agree with that action!

Now, once the public comment period has ended and after review of the DEIS and the public input, I arrive at a determination to support an alternative with light rail...then, I'll be happy to answer the question. At that time, the justification for my position will be cemented.

Thanks

tim

[Chief]

Here is the link to the CVTV coverage of last night's Vancouver City Council meeting.

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv/cvtvindex.asp?catID=3

Here is a link to the written summary of last night's Vancouver City Council meeting.

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/councilmeetings.asp?menuid=10462&submenuID=10474&itemID=53420

[Waterbuffalo]

I'd like to correct your link to the Video Chief...

http://www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv/cvtvindex.asp?catID=19&folderID=1803

Usually Larry's rants are "Citizen's Communications" not to your linked of the City Workshops..

[Waterbuffalo]

I'll like to add that I some times do read Larry and Company's email list but from what I can gather, he and his group takes comments out of context, misunderstands data streams and when someone tries to correct them, they fly the "red badge of incorrigible" instead of letting the best commentary and ideas fly through their commentary..

There is a long line of things I would like to say to them but I doubt it would change anything plus it might lead me to be clumped into their club instead I'll stand aside and let others call them out.. Enough all ready do this at the city, port and local citizens.

[Chief]

Thanks for that correction on the link WB...

Understand that at some point Jeanne Stewart needs to stop letting Patella be her spokesman, and start responding to this mess herself.

cewl

[Waterbuffalo]

Yep, she will and until then, the city, us and the rest will have to deal with his electronic swill. Too bad the local newspaper isn't gratified to post more of his interesting topic in its Op-Ed section..... :-)

[Chief]

Considering how salacious this has all become, I'm amazed that the local tabloid hasn't jumped into it with both feet...especially since it involves their favorite group of angry letter writers...

cewl

[Waterbuffalo]

Considering how salacious this has all become, I'm amazed that the local tabloid hasn't jumped into it with both feet...especially since it involves their favorite group of angry letter writers...

cewl

Not sure why they are not doing it.. But they've enjoyed copying all of my comments to several of Tri-met crash on the steel bridge and other commentary.. Guess their more focused on things that don't need attention than the honest true stories of Vancouver that need to be told.

As far as I am concerned, I could care less about what "Lt. Kommander" or as I affectionately call "Captain Sonar.." He has so much less of a need to occupy my brain space or processes and really has nothing to say.. If Larry has some thing cognitive with some facts and meat behind it, I'd listen.. But his email list is all over about facts, innuendo and speculation started or generated by him.

There are too many intelligent, fun and exciting citizens in the 17th district that I have met over the past 3 years. Larry (or the rest of Cave-in) is not someone I want to associate or continually to hear from.

Chief, you've given me more data flows and streams to keep me busy for a life time.

<deletes long commentary and leaves this subject until Jeanne or some thing more and substantive comes through..>

[Chief]

I see that Jeanne is now letting Greg Herrington do her talking for her, and it's only a matter of time till Mt. St. Patella blows it's stack again...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v645/SeniorChieftain/BLOG%20IMAGES/MtStPatella.jpg

http://www.columbian.com/opinion/news/2008/05/05232008_City-council-member-is-on-a-short-leash.cfm

City council member is on a short leash

Friday, May 23, 2008
By GREGG HERRINGTON, Columbian staff writer

It’s time once again, ladies and gentlemen, for that great American spectator sport, “Let’s you and him fight.”

A letter to the editor in Tuesday’s Columbian asked, “What is Mayor Pollard afraid of?” Another letter that day said, “Our fine city is really in trouble if the only way she (Vancouver Councilwoman Jeanne Stewart) can keep from being ridiculed by fellow councilors is to become another ‘bobblehead’ and agree with everything the mayor dictates.”

Those are strong words about a strong-willed mayor and Stewart, an intelligent and skeptical councilwoman who cannot be accused of succumbing to groupthink.

But she’s also one of three council members, along with Tim Leavitt and Jeanne Harris, who represent the city on the board of C-Tran, which has a say on what a new Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River will look like.

The impetus for the letter writers’ outrage was a story in the Neighbors section of the May 14 Columbian by Jeffrey Mize. He reported that Stewart “has deep reservations” about light rail and “has clashed” over the issue with Pollard and other council members. Those include Harris. “There have been open discussions,” Mize reported, “about the council’s voting to remove” Stewart from the C-Tran board.

Removal? What kind of municipal totalitarianism is going on here, anyway?

‘Mayor isn’t doing this to be mean’

As it turns out, Stewart is not exactly criticizing Pollard on this.

“The mayor feels it is important to have unanimity of the council members who are on the C-Tran board,” she told me Wednesday. “He doesn’t want to lose that. The mayor isn’t doing this to be mean. He’s doing what he thinks is best. I understand his concerns.”

But, Stewart says, “I can’t be made to capitulate against my best judgment. I would have no value as an elected person if I did that. … I see elected people do that more and more. They check it at the door in order to be a team player. … There is a need for independent thinking — not for people to be cynical, but skeptical.”

Pollard points out that Stewart can argue her case within the city council, before it takes a stance on the new bridge and high-capacity transit. If she can convince a majority of the council to oppose a light-rail line into town or to recommend a certain route that she favors, then the council’s two other C-Tran members, Harris and Leavitt, will be expected to vote her way at C-Tran, even if it’s contrary to their wishes.

This isn’t some weird, un-American concept. It’s much the same as the way the Electoral College actually picks our presidents. The presidential electors in each state are supposed to vote in accordance with the majority of their state’s popular vote.

And at C-Tran, other board members will be voting on the bridge as directed by their respective bodies.

‘Will of the council’

So, Stewart is on a short leash. The mayor has broken with the tradition of making two-year appointments of council members to the C-Tran board and placed Leavitt, Harris and Stewart on “temporary” appointments. That allows Pollard to replace or substitute for Stewart prior to any C-Tran meeting.

“This, unfortunately, is the place we find ourselves now,” Pollard said. “It is important that the will of the council be carried forward. I understand her position and have great respect for it. But what is the responsibility of members who represent any board? There’s not a lot of leeway” to break from the majority of the group.

Before choosing up sides, put yourself in this picture:
You’re a member of some group, maybe a service club, a charity’s board of directors or a fire district board of commissioners. The group picks you to represent it at the state convention
Part of your job will be to vote on resolutions as the majority of your club has directed you following its own considerable debate, which was open to you and all members. You vehemently disagree with your group’s majority on one of the resolutions. So, when you get to the convention, do you vote your preference, or do you do as Pollard would do and vote for your group’s majority position?

Pollard’s right in this case. But I still cheer Stewart, who says, “Skepticism is a positive trait in an elected official.”

Gregg Herrington’s column of personal opinion appears on the Other Opinions page each Friday. Reach him at gregg.herrington@columbian.com.

[Chief]

Not sure why they are not doing it..

Simple really, this sells papers. Larry Patella and his loyal followers buy the columbian most often so they can see their own names in print. I admit that I do it, so why is anyone else exempt?

Having Greg Herrington go after CAVE in this way is guaranteed to sell even more papers to outraged CAVE members...

25. Follow the money. When somebody says, "It's not the money," it's always the money. (http://www.grassfire.net/88/truths.html?s=&showtopic=4351&view=findpost&p=28980)

[DArch1]

from what I can gather, he and his group takes comments out of context, misunderstands data streams and when someone tries to correct them, they fly the "red badge of incorrigible" instead of letting the best commentary and ideas fly through their commentary...

The nerve...that would never happen here.

[LouisWu]

The nerve...that would never happen here.

Thank you for your support here at Clarkblog.org, but I have noticed that in all of your 14 posts here so far, you really haven't said a great deal about the subject matter of the threads you choose to follow, rather you seem to be amusing yourself by posting wisecracks and borderline attacks against long-standing contributing members.

We all like to have our fun, when and where appropriate, but the Management likes to keep the de minimous comments to a minimum.

You should know that this website is a privately run operation, and you are a welcome guest here, as long as you choose to behave yourself, and as long as you choose to be a contributing member.

Please, choose wisely.

Louis Wu
Administrator

[Waterbuffalo]

thanks Louis

[Waterbuffalo]

As I have said, Pollard knows how to play the cards and now you know how he's doing it.

[Chief]

In case you missed it, here is the latest ravings on this subject from the usual suspect. Remember, you heard some of this here first...

http://www.westerndredging.org/cgi-bin/mail.cgi/archive/Local/20080523175649/

Nothing beats a good conspiracy theory...

::)

[Waterbuffalo]

"Nothing beats a good conspiracy theory..."

Yeah, the only thing that beats over there is a Pavlov dog waiting for the next salacious rumor....

[DArch1]

Thank you for your support here at Clarkblog.org, but I have noticed that in all of your 14 posts here so far, you really haven't said a great deal about the subject matter of the threads you choose to follow, rather you seem to be amusing yourself by posting wisecracks and borderline attacks against long-standing contributing members.

We all like to have our fun, when and where appropriate, but the Management likes to keep the de minimous comments to a minimum.

You should know that this website is a privately run operation, and you are a welcome guest here, as long as you choose to behave yourself, and as long as you choose to be a contributing member.

Please, choose wisely.


Louis Wu
Administrator

Man, I love the Internet. When I was a kid, all we had to do was tie some cups together with string and stretch it across the yard and "blog" away...now, well here you are on the internet...A LOT more cups. Your choice if I stay or go; I will not change.

"It is better to be hated for who you are, than to be loved for who you are not."

[Waterbuffalo]

Chief, I'd like to let this thread die unless there is some substantiation or proof?

I'll let Larry keep his e-list and move on to some thing worth reading.