Editor,

Thanks to Jessie Stensland for her excellent reporting on the issuesleading up to Marie Shimada’s recent resignation as manager of the Ebey’s Landing National Historic Reserve.

The Reserve is guided and managed by a volunteer Trust Boardon behalf of the four partners that have an interest in the Reserve – the National Park Service, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Town of Coupeville and Island County.

The Board works co-operatively to set policy and determine the future course of the Reserve. The Friends of Ebey’s Reserve is a private entity whose Board supports and works with the Reserve Board by raising funds to preserve the numerous historical buildings that have survived within the Reserve.

The awarding of these funds is governed by a set of agreed upon guidelines that ensure a fair and above-board distribution of the donated monies.

Some time ago the Reserve Manager Marie Shimada, currently a candidate for Island County Commissioner running against the incumbent, Melanie Bacon, announced some significant changes in direction for the Reserve without any prior consulting or agreement among the full board. Members of both boards opposed her ideas and unilateral decisions and expressed their disagreements.

Ms. Shimada’s took this opposition personally as threats to her authority and power instead of seeing them as issues that needed to be decided co-operatively among all board members and stakeholders, like the Friends of Ebey’s. The disagreements took flight and can be followed in the Whidbey News-Times, specifically in the June 5, June 29 and July 3 issues.

The situation ended with Ms. Shimada’s resignation speech – recorded on You Tube – blaming, and I quote, an “unnamed family” for causing strife on the Reserve and even misusing funds.” She added, “The evidence grows that only one single family wants to control and profit.”

This “unnamed family” is of course, as the News-Times pointed out, the Sherman family – some of my cousins to be exact. This is just ridiculous! Ms. Shimada must be having visions of the Shermans out in a field somewhere feasting on Rockwell beans – Aunt Grace’s recipe of course – along with Hubbard squash fritters and enjoying a turkey or two in memory of my Dad’s turkey farm, plotting the takeover of the Prairie.

Seriously, my cousins are not misusing funds and are very aware of the treasure which is Ebey’s Reserve. The Reserve was created by the hard work of several Prairie farm families, Shermans among them, and town residents. We were all raised to respect the land worked by our ancestors. There are currently five working farms on Ebey’s Prairie run by descendants of William and Lottie Sherman. We love this special place and many of us work to keep it safe from changes meant to harm its integrity.

Ms. Shimada’s excessive accusations and overwrought reaction to honest criticism shows a lack of professionalism and any self-reflection as to how her actions have contributed to this situation. Ms. Shimada is not ready for prime time as Island County commissioner.

I agree with Jill Johnson, another county commissioner, who stated “there’s a need for ‘personal development’ on the part of the Reserve manager,” referring to Ms. Shimada prior to her resignation.

I will be supporting Melanie Bacon for commissioner. She understands the concept “plays well with others” and will no doubt continue to do so.

James L. Sherman

Coupeville