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In Our View: Shameless and Shocking

Stewart’s comments on fellow county Councilor Madore are spot on

The Columbian
Published: October 25, 2015, 6:01am

If we could articulate it any more clearly, we would. Instead, we shall leave it to Clark County Councilor Jeanne Stewart to assess the latest machinations from fellow Councilor David Madore.

“I want to say that it is absolutely shameful the way that you have hijacked this process to get people to comply with your, and only your, will,” Stewart told Madore during a council discussion about land-use planning. “This is not good government. It’s shocking and I’m ashamed of it.”

Such an outburst from somebody who is, by nature, thoughtful and deliberate was rather stunning. But Stewart effectively summarized Madore’s actions as the county considers its Comprehensive Growth Management plan. Shameful. Shocking. Hijacking the process. Madore has attempted to turn the land-use discussion into his own personal fiefdom while ignoring feedback, questions and criticism.

First, a little background. Earlier this year, when county planners developed three alternatives for adhering to the state’s Growth Management Act, Madore decided that none of the recommendations were adequate. He unilaterally developed Alternative 4, eschewing input from anybody who might actually have expertise in land-use planning. His idea would allow for large lots of agriculture, forest or rural land to be subdivided to a greater degree than would any of the other proposals. In September, the Clark County Planning Commission rejected the notion of allowing for reduced lot sizes, with Commissioner Bill Wright saying the strain on infrastructure would be “unconscionable.” In addition, many experts in the field have questioned the legality of Alternative 4 under the state’s Growth Management Act.

Which brings us to Tuesday, when county councilors met with the intention of approving one of the plans for establishing land-use policy in unincorporated Clark County over the next 20 years. That is when Madore offered up 11th-hour changes to his proposal and convinced fellow Councilor Tom Mielke to join him in voting to delay the decision until Nov. 24. Part of the new proposal is to alter population projections for the county, which is one of the first steps in formulating the land-use plan. The changes to the plan could reset the entire process, and the delay in the vote could further press the June 30, 2016, deadline for state approval of the Comprehensive Growth Management plan.

Through it all, Madore has demonstrated irresponsible management of the county’s responsibilities to its citizens, employing a manipulative form of subterfuge that is almost dictatorial in its nature.

Yet Madore’s usurping of the process is only slightly more troubling than his hypocrisy. When C-Tran adopted an agreement with TriMet in 2013 without allowing time for adequate review, Madore said, “This is about the most stupid thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Big decisions of this magnitude, this is not the way you make them.” In response, he pushed county leaders to approve an “Integrity Resolution” that included his own definition of integrity, complete with an extraneous word: “honesty, soundness, trustworthiness to the fulfill commitments.”

Madore’s latest action fails on both counts. Indeed, this is not the way for county government to make big decisions; indeed, he has failed to adhere to any plausible definition of integrity. His last-minute changes to his personal proposal have placed the county in an untenable position while holding the process hostage to his megalomania.

But we probably can’t articulate that as effectively as Jeanne Stewart.

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