To the editor:

Commissioner Kelly Emerson should recuse herself in all matters dealing with the planning department, land-use regulations and all financial decisions affecting these subjects. She has a huge, irreconcilable conflict of interest in dealing with all such matters.

The basis for this request is not only her lawsuit against two individuals in the planning department (which, if for no other reason, should immediately disqualify her from making any decision affecting that department or those individuals), but her demonstrated disdain for reasonable land-use regulations designed to protect wetlands from the selfish, destructive actions of a few property owners. Commissioner Emerson’s lawsuit is, in my opinion, frivolous, vindictive and a clear attempt to divert attention away from her own actions regarding her own property — actions which, if not stopped, would have resulted in a clear violation of the county’s building permit requirements, and possibly various land-use restrictions regarding wetlands.

Furthermore, based on her own actions, she has demonstrated an inflexible attitude toward land-use regulations that impose limitations on the actions of property owners. Her own behavior in this regard provides convincing proof that she believes that property ownership interests trump all reasonable land-use regulations, and, indeed, even the county’s building-permit requirement. As such, she is simply incapable of rendering a fair, unbiased and reasoned decision about such matters.

Land-use regulations must be based on scientific evidence and facts, not on political ideology. Commissioner Emerson’s bias in favor of allowing property owners to do whatever they want to do on and with their property to the virtual exclusion of all other competing interests (science and the facts be damned) clearly disqualifies her from taking part in decisions by the board of county commissioners dealing with all land-use issues.

For the foregoing reasons, I assert in the strongest possible terms that Commissioner Emerson is disqualified from making decisions dealing with the planning department, land-use regulations and all financial decisions affecting these subjects. She must recuse herself in the interest of ensuring the integrity of government, and in avoiding the appearance of impropriety. Public confidence in the proper functioning of government demands no less.

Nels Kelstrom

Clinton