Once again, the Columbian is up to old tricks with their article, Madore rattles C-Tran board, describing actions of then Commissioner-elect, now Commissioner David Madore and his contacting North County Officials prior to his swearing in.
Not surprising either is the Columbian not quite getting it right.
The article tells us that Madore met with different officials from smaller cities in North County and shortly after, some withdrew their support of a sitting C-Tran Board Member who has served on the C-Tran Board for number of years.
They quote Battle Ground Mayor, Lisa Walters saying, “He hadn’t been sworn in yet, and he was already out causing trouble like this,” leading readers to believe she is upset over Madore’s contacting officials.
In reality, she isn’t as upset as they indicate.
I spoke to Ms. Walters by phone this afternoon after leaving a comment of my own under the article, calling her out for the words and reminding that we voters wanted light shed on C-Tran and CRC. I also stated Madore doing what voters want is not “causing trouble.”
Maybe I should have spoken with her first as the quoted words are not exactly what she said, she told me. In fact, I would say she agrees that C-Tran is in need of “shaking up,” but it should be done in a more transparent way.
The issue is over Battle Ground City Council Member Bill Ganley remaining on the C-Tran Board where he has been for the past 12 years.
Two Battle Ground City Council Members received an email from former Washougal City Council Member, Jon Russell, who moved his family to Manassas, Va. last year to take a national coordinator position with anti-abortion group Students for Life of America, encouraging them to “to press in on your city administration hard to produce an inter-local agreement between all the cities in your C-Tran area,” concluding, “A lot is at stake with light rail and tolls and we cannot afford government establishment types to be on these boards year and year uncontested.”
While I can’t disagree with Russell’s words, why only pick two council members and not the entire council or even the Mayor?
While Russell’s email did not specifically mention Mr. Ganley, the reference is clearly about him still serving on the C-Tran Board.
What was upsetting to Ms. Walters was that Madore knew of this email while she didn’t, leaving the impression of going behind her and the rest of the city councils back.
Speaking with Lisa, she too is not fond of Light Rail from Portland being forced onto Clark County, especially without taxpayers being allowed to vote on whether or not we even want it.
Contrary to what is indicated in the Columbian, she also is not opposed to Madore reaching out to North County officials, but would prefer he be more transparent in doing so.
Perhaps unknown to many, but Bill Ganley is being shadowed by another City Council Member with the goal of replacing Ganley, who is working towards leaving the C-Tran Board in time and let someone else take over the seat.
The Council Member shadowing him also happens to be a polar opposite politically, but at the same time appreciates that Ganley has been “doing his job in accordance with his instructions.”
I am in full support of Commissioner Madore “rattling” C-Tran as well as efforts to rein in CRC and light rail.
If current members of the C-Tran Board are more supportive of the CRC Project and light rail instead of taxpayers’ wishes, I agree they should be replaced.
But circumventing Mayor’s and leaving them in the dark as to what is happening within their own City Council’s is one of the things we have complained about C-Tran and CRC doing all along.
I believe David Madore has sufficient support from voters and other elected officials so that he does not need to depend on “backroom deals” to set much needed changes into motion. I believe he has more than enough support from voters and taxpayers to openly call for those changes without extra promises he might not be able to fulfill.
The Columbian quotes Madore as saying “he was trying to build relationships with leadership in the county’s small cities and ensure fair representation on the C-Tran board” and “didn’t place any pressure on elected officials to rethink their C-Tran appointments based on political motivations.”
But the tone of the article before the quote clearly indicates differently.
Madore has been cautioned about the Columbian and their very pro-CRC, C-Tran position and will spin articles and quotes to undermine any effort to clean them up. They don’t need to be given more they can spin to undermine efforts to shed much needed light on C-Tran and CRC.
I have not had the chance to speak directly with Commissioner Madore yet over this, but will update as necessary when I do.
But working together in a more open and transparent way, we can rein in C-Tran and CRC and hold them accountable to taxpayers.
