A group of 15 former Kirkland mayors and city council members wrote an open letter last week to urge citizens to vote for Doreen Marchione for city council position 7. But the letter took the unprecedented step to note that her opponent, incumbent Tom Hodgson, has to go because of his recent actions as an elected member of the council.
The beginning of the letter states: “We are a group of former Kirkland Mayors and City Council Members who have served Kirkland over the past 50 years, representing more than 150 years of combined experience guiding our city. We are taking the extraordinary step of writing to you because we believe our city has never faced a more critical City Council election than it does this year. We urge you to support Doreen Marchione for City Council in her bid to unseat Tom Hodgson. Doreen is a superb candidate, long-time Kirkland resident and consummate public servant of more than 40 years, and council member Hodgson must be replaced.”
The letter came as a surprise to Hodgson.
“I applaud them for wanting to be involved but I question the relevance of people who served in the 1960s,” said Hodgson.
Some of the elected officials to sign the letter are currently serving in local government. Former Kirkland mayor Mary Alyce Burleigh is a current Kirkland City Council member, who is not seeking reelection to her seat this year.
“It is not normally customary for sitting council colleagues to endorse someone but this is a hotly contested election and I support everyone’s right to their opinion,” said Hodgson.
Other signees include former council members Sants Contreras, Doris Cooper, Tom Dillon, Nona Ganz, Robert Pantley, Dick Shinstrom, and Vernon Stoops; and former mayors Rep. Larry Springer (D-Kirkland), Deb Eddy, Michelle Muse, Bob Neir, Dave Russell, Jim Vaux, and Bill Woods.
The letter goes on to outline why the group is against Hodgson’s re-election: “While we are disturbed by Mr. Hodgson’s treatment of citizen volunteers and his unfounded allegations regarding the resignation of a long-time city employee, by far the most troubling was his violation of every ethical protocol we know of when he shared privileged legal communications from the City Attorney with the attorney who filed suit against the city.”
“Again, I applaud their interest and staying involved but we no longer make policy in the back room,” said Hodgson. “Those fearful of losing influence are lashing out. I reject the old boy ways of the past.”
But the letter makes it a point to reiterate a major mistake that Hodgson made for which he was reprimanded and had to pay a fine.
“As a result, Kirkland had to commit significant time and resources to defend itself,” the letter continues. “Nevertheless, he subsequently stated at a candidate’s forum on Oct. 4 that he would do it again. We simply cannot understand how a council member would put his politics ahead of the best interests of our city. The Kirkland Council has a long tradition of civility and integrity, regardless of our differences. Unfortunately, some current council members show a lack of respect for each other, city employees and the normal process of good government.”
Read the letter
View the entire letter at http://kirkland2020.com/
