Editor, the VOICE:
The message was loud and clear in Black Diamond on November 7th. Voters snubbed all three of Save Black Diamond’s candidates and collectively decided to put a stop to the headline-inducing dysfunction that became synonymous with Black Diamond City Council meetings.
But it’s not quite over yet.
As long as Pat Pepper continues to toe the party line and follow cues from the out-of-towners behind “Save Black Diamond,” she will undermine efforts to start anew. I urge Black Diamond voters to recall Pepper during the February special election. Our city needs a fresh start.
Along with former council members Erika Morgan and Brian Weber, Pepper played a principal role in the city failing to adopt its 2017 budget until March 2 of last year. Needlessly delaying the 2017 budget not only put our city’s financial health at risk, but a citywide shutdown would have stopped basic services like police, fire, water and sewer.
Pepper claims that “no harm was done” by her role in not adopting a city budget by Dec. 31, 2016, as indicated in Washington State law. She is wrong.
Pepper’s decision created an uncertain future for the city staff and citizens. Not to mention, the extraordinary situation attracted negative media attention from television, radio and newspaper media.
Fortunately, Weber and Morgan are no longer on the council. But Pepper continues to obstruct and cast a dark cloud on city operations. She has gone on record stating her refusal to meet with city department heads or other key staff members. She continues to obstruct basic city operations like approving that bills be paid – except, of course, when it comes to the city paying the attorneys defending her in expensive lawsuits.
Perhaps most egregious of all is Pepper continues to cost taxpayers money. Lawsuits brought on by actions of Pepper, Weber and Morgan cost Black Diamond taxpayers a staggering $263,000 at the end of 2017. This prevented the city from replacing the failing fire engine in 2017. These lawsuits are not over and will continue to cost us thousands of dollars in 2018.
At the end of the day, Pat Pepper has failed to represent the city’s best interest and serve as an effective leader, that citizens elected her to be.
She has lost her credibility with voters and city workers. That is why the Black Diamond Police Officers’ Association and local firefighters have strongly endorsed the recall and support removing Pepper from office. It is also why more than 750 Black Diamond residents signed petitions to recall Pepper.
Black Diamond voters decided that they wanted to move beyond the animosity and Pepper’s flawed ideas of leadership during last year’s general election. But we cannot move forward until everyone on the council is committed to a better, more professional, way of managing the city’s business.
I urge you to vote to recall Pat Pepper on the February 13th Special Election ballot and close this embarrassing chapter of Black Diamond history.
Let’s finish what was started last year – vote YES to recall Pepper.
Johna Thomson
