SMELL TEST

The Bayview Water and Sewer board, consisting of two incumbents and two expired terms met July 8 to appoint a successor to Chuck Waller who died 5 days prior. Faced with losing their majority, the surviving two held a rump meeting  without notice and without inviting their secretary.

Both Waller's death and the meeting at which the illegal board met were after July first, the date the new members were official. That they weren't sworn in is immaterial. If the president of the united states dies, the vice-president is immediately president regardless of when the swearing in happens.

Faced with a two-two tie, the incumbents acted quickly, and I believe illegally to cement a 3-2 majority, appointing one of the two losers in the recent election, Chuck Murray. This isn't about people, it's about legal acts, honesty and transparency. The obvious correct way to have handled this is for both factions to agree on one outsider that doesn't have an ax to grind. Also, electing a new president after the two losers were already out of office is disgusting, and also probably illegal.

They just don't get it. This kind of weaselly behavior is what got new members elected. This district and it's members have long been kept in the dark as to accounting for expenditures. At a meeting which many community members attended, an audit was still 2 years late, when legally required to be annual. Now, two years later, the audit is four years in arrears.

The second act and where the smell test applies, is the Bayview Water & Sewer board invested in a brand new large capacity paper shredder. This in anticipation of an audit?  Stay tuned. A court of law can take over, lock, stock and barrel in these situations, and damn well should.

This is, unless the board gets their act together quickly, will probably end up in a law suit. It will be interesting when auditors, Magnuson-McHugh are subpoenaed to testify as to why they rejected the audit. Is it possible that the district  wouldn't supply the auditors with the material needed for the audit?

So then,  we have a new/old board member who along with the other former member, voted for one of them to replace Waller, AFTER their terms expired. If all else fails, these incumbents will fall in the next election.The public strikes back after being sucker punched too many times. I would encourage the citizens of Bayview to take up a collection for the hiring of an attorney that can then file a suit, demand disclosure  and discover where the rats are eating the cheese.

Does someone have something to hide? Stay tuned.