The Feb. 25 story reported on “Boldt, Madore clash over county manager.” As a longtime African-American resident of Clark County and Vancouver, I believe that it is well past the time for acting on diversity in both the county and city governments. I, however, find it disingenuous that County Councilor David Madore, who has had ample enough time to incorporate diversity into the county government had he so chosen, chides Acting County Manager Mark McCauley to incorporate a national search for a new manager to avoid setting a pattern of appointing white men to top positions. He and his “henchman” Councilor Tom Mielke appointed Sen. Don Benton, a white man, to a top position without any search.
I challenge Madore to define his definition of diversity, and who is included under his definition. If diversity is so important to him, what is the makeup of personnel in his private business? As to the governments of both Clark County and the city of Vancouver, neither has many, if any, persons of color in top positions unless persons of color are not included in Madore’s definition of “diversity.”
