AT WHAT COST TO MASON COUNTY?

CAN TAXPAYERS AFFORD ANOTHER TERM
FOR COMMISSIONER/SENATOR SHELDON?

Submitted to Shelton Blog by Katherine Price Mason County Progressive

Commissioner Tim Sheldon draws a very generous taxpayer salary as a member of the Mason County Board of Commissioners, it is something in the neighborhood of $76,000 in wages, plus benefits we associate with public sector workers.

Senator Tim Sheldon draws a slightly less generous taxpayer salary as a member of the Washington State Senate, it is something in the neighborhood of $42,000, and again, has benefits we associate with public sector workers.

Without benefits, without per diem, without mileage, and without whatever else the legislators have voted to reimburse themselves for, Commissioner/Senator Sheldon's base compensation from you and me (Jane Doe Citizen and John Doe Citizen), is $118,000.

In addition to salary and benefits, Senator Sheldon, in his capacity as Commissioner Sheldon, recently cost you and me (Jane Doe Citizen and John Doe Citizen) $114,000 for the settlement of an age discrimination lawsuit brought against the Commissioners and the County.

However, we ought to only credit him for one-half of that settlement; the other one-half, or $57,000, should be credited to his partner in incompetence, Board of County Commission member Lynda Ring Erickson. Even with only half of this settlement added to Tim's base compensation, we are now up to $175,000 that Tim Sheldon cost the taxpayers this year.

But the cost of a lawsuit is not just the $114,000 paid to the plaintiff. There is the cost of our prosecuting attorney's office. This office is tasked with having to defend each and every lawsuit brought against our illustrious Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) .

And there have been more lawsuits than this one, many more... and at the candidate forum last Wednesday, July 18th, Tim Sheldon, himself, informed us citizens of yet another lawsuit against him and "us". He said that this lawsuit was against him, and his wife, and "you".

Yes, citizens, there is another lawsuit pending against Tim, and against "us". Yet another lawsuit only because we keep electing Tim to be our representative.

Tim is really angry about this latest lawsuit. He actually spit a little he was so mad when telling us about it at the forum (long after his time for answering a question had run out). It was a display worthy of a petulant child who has forgotten for a moment that he is both a commissioner and a senator.

What is this lawsuit that has our Tim spitting mad? This one is apparently for "wrongful termination", and was filed by one of the candidates running against Commissioner Sheldon for his seat on the BOCC, namely, Mark Core. Wow, only in Mason County!

I don't know if the Core lawsuit has legs, it probably does; and whether it does or not, it will cost the taxpayers something.

We know what Lynda Ring Erickson's role was in the age discrimination lawsuit. and I am sure she played a part in the lawsuit brought by Mark Core.

Speaking of Mark Core, I am thinking I do not want to vote for anyone who is involved in a lawsuit against my County and me, whether deserved or not. If Mark Core wants to resolve this lawsuit and then seek a seat on the Commission, well and good. Once all of the facts are known, we can evaluate whether his experience at the County, which is not negligible, trumps the fact that he sued "us"!

I do not doubt for a minute that Tim was seeking just such a reaction from citizens when he "appeared" to lose his cool to such an extent - how better to be sure we all remember it than to appear to be that petulant child.

However, I am of the opinion that there is an inherent conflict of interest in being a plaintiff against the very body that you would work for. Tim, no doubt, was hoping that someone would bring this up. Happy Tim? I agree with you. There is a terrible conflict in Mark Core suing the Board of County Commissioners and running for the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). And while Tim Sheldon no doubt hoped that we would become indignant as citizens and stop our thought processes here, I feel the need to point out the obvious:

This lawsuit means that Tim and Lynda are at it again. They likely got rid of an annoying County employee who saw too much, who knew too much, and who probably asked too many questions of the BOCC, with whom he worked for years. While Jane Doe Citizen and John Doe Citizen can go through their lifetime without anyone filing a lawsuit against them, Tim and Lynda can only go months.

As Mason County voters, we pay two very generous salaries to our Commissioner/Senator Tim Sheldon, I suggest we take this opportunity to divest him of one of his public sector jobs and replace him with the experienced, level headed Roslynne Reed. Roslynne Reed has promised to make the full time job of County Commissioner for District 2 her full time job. Tim never has, and with his other job, he never can.

And as for elevating Lynda Ring Erickson from Mason County Commissioner to the Legislative seat being vacated by Fred Finn: Mason County, are we mad as hatters? I sure hope not. Lynda Ring Erickson deserves a rest. Let's see that she gets it. Vote Jeff Davis. Fred Finn will be hard to replace, but Jeff Davis will serve us well if elected.

Such an important primary, the first two go forward. Ballots have gone out on July 20th, and lots of folks vote the week after getting the ballots.

Talk to your neighbors, talk to your friends, consider the truth that these commissioners, Lynda Ring Erickson and Tim Sheldon, have cost the Mason County taxpayer enough. Retire these commissioners and hire some forward-thinking candidates. The future is uncertain and our leaders in the coming years are going to have to be imaginative and innovative.

Use wisely your power of choice, Mason County...please use wisely your power of choice.

Graphic: www.123rf.com

SHELTON BLOG NOTE:

Link to KMAS News Voters Guide:
http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/voter-guide-2012

Link to Progressive Voters Guide: 2012 Primary Edition, Mason County
http://progressivevotersguide.com/2012/washington/primary/county/mason/35th

STATE REPRESENTATIVE CANDIDATE FORUM
(Positions 1 and 2)
on
THURSDAY, JULY 26th
from
6:00 - 8:00 PM
at

Oakland Bay Junior High School
3301 N. Shelton Spring Road

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