Lewis County’s newest member of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), Scott Brummer, in a recent commentary in this publication railed against “keyboard warriors” who spread unsubstantiated rumors, misinformation and even slander on social media platforms.
He charges them with using the Washington Public Records Act to make extensive records requests, taxing our public employees and keeping them from doing other important work. He implies these individuals hide behind their screens and are afraid to discuss issues face to face.
It seems I may be one of those “keyboard warriors” the good commissioner complains about.
What initially drew me into an interest in Lewis County government and requesting public records was my effort to save Packwood’s Skate Creek Park (officially Packwood State Park Property) from influential people with special interests and good Lewis County commissioner friends. Over that period, we did secure our park, which is now enjoyed by thousands of people each year and is an important asset to our community.
Along the way, I stopped three illegal or improper grants to the nonprofits of “connected” individuals. I also was invited by the late Commissioner Gary Stamper to serve on the Lewis County Citizens Budget Committee, and did so for two years, learning much about Lewis County government and its good people. And just recently I was instrumental in saving Commissioner Brummer himself from making a big mistake proposing using the good offices and resources of Lewis County to promote a ballot issue, which would have jeopardized that ballot issue if it wins.
After reading Commissioner Brummer’s accusations, I asked myself if I was just being a nuisance to Lewis County government and wasting their time or was I essential in stopping some bad things from happening, investigating some potential wrongs, stopping some, and providing a needed check on the government.
I asked my new writer’s friend, the artificial intelligence program ChatGPT, “How does the Washington State Public Records Act benefit government and the public?” It responded with benefits to the government, including “transparency and accountability,” “good governance,” “legal compliance” and “improved records management.” Benefits to the public include, “informed citizenry, oversight and accountability, research and advocacy, personal and legal interests, ensures fairness, and reducing misinformation.”
My new friend ChatGPT closed with: “In summary, the Washington State Public Records Act benefits the government by promoting transparency, accountability, and good governance. It benefits the public by enabling an informed citizenry, promoting oversight, and facilitating various personal and professional interests. Overall, it helps maintain a healthy balance between government transparency and individual privacy.”
So now I feel much better that us “keyboard warriors” are not just a bunch of nasty little dogs, nipping at the good commissioner’s ankles, causing him to kick out at us in disgust. We do serve an essential function with our government, just as he and his colleagues do. And from time to time, I do come out of hiding behind my laptop screen, get my hair cut, trim my rangy beard, and wash my greasy jeans, to give my three minutes before a Board of County Commissioners meeting on subjects I’m involved in. Of the others I know, I believe most of us communicate with county leaders and others, texting, on the phone, or in person, and I believe most of us welcome the opportunity to do so.
Commissioner Brummer mentioned the hydrogen project in his commentary, and I think the growing questions and criticisms by other government leaders and citizens alike really have him and his cohorts in this venture concerned. That’s what’s really bothering him.
Why were people digging for his and Commissioner Sean Swope’s non-disclosure agreements (NDA) and why were they so hard to obtain? He did finally publish the NDA, which all Economic Alliance board members signed, but people suspected that they might be bound by another NDA specific to the Australian company Fortescue, which is behind this proposal. I’m beginning to believe there is no specific NDA, but I put that question to the Economic Alliance’s director, Richard DeBolt, and he has yet to answer. It’s understandable why people might think so, as Commissioner Pollock was presented with an NDA by the Economic Alliance, which she refused to sign. There may be no specific NDA, but it’s hard to understand why Commissioner Brummer is so indignant about the request.
We claim the public’s interest because we are the public and Lewis County government is the public’s government. And yes, we have questions why you, Commissioner Brummer, Commissioner Swope, Mr. Chad Taylor, the Economic Alliance, and your associates are exclusively pushing this hydrogen project, which some say will create only 35 jobs, at the cost of many hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, when there are so many things which you could do that wouldn’t suck more electricity than all of Lewis County residents and business combined and might produce a much more diversified economy and hundreds of family wage jobs.
We do have this hard fought right for public accountability Commissioner Brummer, so don’t ever denigrate us again for doing our duty, in the public interest, of the good citizens of Lewis County, Washington.
Get used to it — you work for us, and you are accountable to us.
•••
Bill Serrahn has lived in his Packwood “afterlife” for 15 years. He is a Vietnam veteran and former hard rock underground miner. He spent his first afterlife in Seattle as a systems analyst and business application developer. His interest and familiarization with Lewis County government developed during his quest to save Skate Creek Park in Packwood. He can be reached at wjserrahn@hotmail.com.
