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Ken Stern, editor and publisher of the La Conner Weekly News, seems determined to demonize the town administration, mayor and town council members in at least two areas: the Maple Avenue ballfield transaction and now parking fees for the new library.

In a scathing editorial Aug.18 he paints an (incorrect) depiction of myself and fellow councilmen Bill Stokes delaying start of construction of the library by trying to extract parking fees for the code, which requires 10 excess (additional – ed.) parking spaces which future operation of the library will require.

Au contraire ... Mr. Stokes and I were requesting more information on the financial impact to the town if the requested deferral was approved. When the discussion was tabled for further discussion/ fact-finding and upon hearing that this process would delay project start, Councilmember Stokes and I immediately requested an expedited discussion so as to minimize the construction schedule impact.

Mayor Hayes then suggested we join a previously scheduled meeting the next morning that would include the library project team. We both dutifully attended the next morning and a satisfactory agreement amongst all parties was achieved. There was no delay of the project’s start attributable to our efforts to protect future necessary town revenues and to maintain conformance with an existing code.

Speaking on behalf of myself, Mr. Stokes and our other council colleagues, we serve on the town council to collectively protect and further the town’s overall interests.

Come on Ken Stern: please stop needlessly stirring the pot of animosity where there is none.

John Leaver

Town Council Position 2