Yelm Public Safety Building & City Council Chambers

On March 27, 2012 the Yelm City Council had the final Library purchase agreement on their agenda, yet was removed just prior to the council session without public notice. The following week, the local newspaper mentioned that the library purchase was postponed to fix contract wording.

– Mayor Harding was quoted in the newspaper saying:
“‘Wording in the contract wasnt quite right,’ Yelm Mayor Ron Harding said. ‘Two weeks wont hurt us.'”

Today marks a month and a half since the library purchase agreement was pulled and still no official word from the mayor or city council.
WHY?
Mr. Foster, Mr. Garmann, we deserve your insights, attention and response to this seeing that you both are new to the City Council!
The public only learned about a then-two-week postponement via the newspaper.

Questions remain unanswered:
– Why was the library agreement redacted from the official council record on March 27th without public disclosure at that session?
– The mayor & city council have a fiduciary responsibility in communicating agenda changes to the public, even those just prior to a meeting.
– The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 35A.12.110 says “A journal of all proceedings shall be kept, which shall be a public record.”
– Why did the public learn of this omission via the newspaper instead of the city council meeting?
– The local newspaper is not the journal of council proceedings nor the public record of the council’s agenda, according to state law. Why was that the vehicle to communicate with citizens?
– What do you think about one million dollars being added to the library’s bond [debt] for a community center?
And, without public discussion or input?

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE YELM CITY COUNCIL’S LACK OF PUBLIC DISCLOSURE?

Klein was a 2004 mayor appointee to the Yelm Library Citizens Advisory Board and selected that Board’s Chair in 2007, serving in that capacity to 2008.