I want to take everyone back a year to when the state first announced that it would be exploring North Bend as a site for the sex-offender facility. The city and the people were united in our messages, asking the state to do the right thing and follow it’s own rules.

There was immeasurable anger, frustration and mistrust when back-door deals were struck and secret handshakes made that put North Bend on a map it otherwise would not have been on.

It seems ironic to me that a similar situation is now facing the city. That an official that asked his comrades to play by the rules is the “bad guy” in this scenario. You don’t get it both ways guys – at least not without the same resulting anger and mistrust we all experienced this past year. I worked closely with Ayesha Tidwell on the Safe Kids Task Force and I, too, believe she is a great choice for the liaison job. I also think she would have gotten that job if the process had been followed and she had been considered by all of the elected city officials instead of just a select few.

There was an editorial in the paper a few weeks ago by the Valley Ghost – who is unfortunately back not only online, but also in our Valley paper – suggesting hypocrisy from a council member who she says was appointed to a city seat via a back-door deal. I don’t know how he was appointed and truly, it doesn’t matter. Being a candidate for a job does not put you in the driver’s seat to ensure appropriate processes are being followed. He was no more responsible for how he got the job than Ayesha was for how she did. However, now that he is a council member, I applaud that he recognizes that the process was insufficient and that in this administration, he’d like to work to see that change.

I encourage citizens and council alike to celebrate, embrace and negotiate the different ideas the council members bring to the table. Please don’t let the negativity and name calling that preceded the election permeate your work. This city voted for each and every one of you, and we’re counting on each and every one of you to take the high road and do your jobs, collaboratively.

Anne Stedman

North Bend