I am writing in response to the recent events regarding the Enumclaw City Council as reported in The Courier-Herald. Since I was not present at the meeting in question, my assessment of the situation can only be based on the information provided by your newspaper.

Controversy will always arouse interest from the public, especially when it is on the front page of one’s local newspaper. I was not surprised that the issue of a Code of Conduct was suggested as a guideline for the City Council meetings.

Frequently a “Code of Conduct” is initiated by individuals whose agenda is not to promote cooperation within a group, rather it is initiated to silence individuals who choose to disagree with them, as in this case. The concerns expressed by Mayor Reynolds and City Attorney Mike Reynolds are legitimate and on target, therefore councilmen Dickson and Overland could only counter with the “manner” in which their concerns were expressed.

Mr. Dickson and Mr. Overland pointed at Mayor Reynolds and Mr. Reynolds’ emotional response to draw attention away from the truth of the issue.

As a person who grew up in Chicago, I have been socialized to heated arguments amongst city leaders. It does not faze me. The bottom line amongst this smoke and mirrors, taking away emotion and affect, is that Darrel Dickson is in the wrong.

Mr. Dickson needs to remember that he is the member of a “team.” There is no “I” in team. There is a pecking order in any leadership arena, whether it is political leadership, the medical profession or even a kid’s soccer team. Mayor Liz Reynolds is the head of the team. She is the CEO of our community, the “captain of the ship.” City Attorney Mike Reynolds is her legal consultant on matters pertaining to the community. The City Council is our executive management team, of which he is a member.

Mr. Dickson had no business going to any agency, whether as a representative of himself or of the community without full disclosure to and permission from Mayor Reynolds, City Attorney Mike Reynolds, the rest of the members of the City Council and the citizens of Enumclaw.

I am personally concerned that there has become too much fractionation and splitting with our City Council and community since Mr. Dickson became a member. I see certain City Council members align with Mr. Dickson because they do not really know and understand the issues and are unable to think independently. That is never good for a community.

Mr. Dickson knows what he did was wrong and he needs to apologize to Mayor Reynolds, City Attorney Mike Reynolds and the rest of the City Council for undermining their authority, but mostly he needs to apologize to the people of Enumclaw for stepping out of his boundaries.

Mary L. Ballard, M.D.

Enumclaw