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News Port Watch

Posted by on April 30 at 17:19 PM

For those of you who are following the Port scandal, The Seattle Times had a meaty scoop this weekend: They confirmed that a big “severance” package was authorized and in play for retired Port CEO Mic Dinsmore despite the fact that the Commission never voted on it; they implicated one Commissioner, Bob Edwards (who’s up for reelection this year) as having been privy to what was initially seen as solely Pat Davis’s screw up; and they had some evidence that the “severance” package was approved in executive session—a major no no.

The idea that the money was discussed in the Exec session comes from Edwards’s comments in the Sea Times (“there was some discussion”) and from notes that Mic Dinsmore took about the Executive session.

Of course, Dinsmore’s notes are a bit suspect: they were taken after the fact (last week maybe?), written in clear longhand, and written in complete sentences. Dinsmore, obviously, has an interest in showing that the Commission approved this whole thing, and it wasn’t just some secret scheme cooked up by him and ally Davis.

However, according to Port Commissioners like Alec Fisken and John Creighton—who maintain that the “severance” package was never discussed in Executive session (“I’ll swear that on a stack of bibles,” Creighton told me)—the whole debate is moot because the real issue, either way, is that Davis signed a memo authorizing the payout without a public vote by the Commission.

Here, Commissioner Edwards wants it both ways. While, as mentioned above, he told the Seattle Times “there was some discussion” … he adds, “the issue was not resolved.”

I disagree with Fisken and Creighton that the Exec session discussion is irrelevant. If the issue was discussed there and that led to Davis’s signature (which is how it appears), it means a “final action” was taken in Executive session. That’s against state law.

As to Dinsmore’s notes, Commissioner Creighton tells me: “That’s really rich coming from Mic Dinsmore. Mic had general counsel tell us to stop taking notes at Executive session.”

Meanwhile, open government activist Chris Clifford is getting set to argue in KC Court that he has just cause to circulate a Davis recall petition.

Here is a pretty good lasso of my coverage on the Port scandal to date.

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1

Good work, Josh, and keep the heat on. Don't let Edwards hide from this.

2

Hey there cowboy Feit, why don't you grab that lasso, saddle up, and meet me at New Freeway Hall on saturday?
"A celebration of labor firebrands in story and song" 7:30pm

3

so i'm at Shorty's the other evening gettin stupid tipsy with the ice climber's husband. this guy from Ontario introduces himself (God save the day, a stranger introduces himself).
turns out we spend the next 5 hours (5 of us now) talking and barhopping. from indy labels to lefty politics to Canadian/US psycholgies to HOCKEY! Man, I'd probably trade my 8 years of elementary/high school basketball for an education in Hockey. I love the sport but rarely interact with it. anyway, there's a verse in Hebrews scripture that scorns the idiot who babbles on and on. any beginning ice hockey enthusiasts? Sports Report? see link

4

damn, it's Proverbs, i'm such a doork

5

"a meaty scoop"! ew.

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