Elected officials are held to a higher standard than the rest of us common folk. It may seem unfair at times, but it’s true all the same, and none of those who have taken an oath of office can say they didn’t know that intense public scrutiny and demands for accountability, legitimate or otherwise, are part of the job.
That’s one of the reasons Oak Harbor Mayor Scott Dudley has struck the war post and announced he’ll be visiting the home municipalities of Island Transit board members and lobbying for their resignations. But perhaps someone should remind North Whidbey’s raging bull of righteousness of that very same standard. Some transit directors may need to step down, but it’s not up to Dudley to decide who, not even in Oak Harbor — it’s the city council’s decision — and self aggrandizing displays of accountability are unbecoming of the office of mayor, in any town.
The Langley City Council can decide for itself who will serve as its representative at Island Transit, and doesn’t require the counsel of a mayor who has weathered far more requests for his own resignation than any present Langley elected official. Dudley, who will forever be remembered for his firing of city employees and the felling of Oak Harbor’s great oak tree, should look to ensure his own house is in order before deciding to meddle in the affairs of other autonomous elected bodies.
That said, the call for accountability isn’t Dudley’s alone and it shouldn’t be overshadowed by the tactics of a single crusader. Many are crying foul over the transit board’s lack of oversight, and that includes state auditors. Their wrath is understandable, given the magnitude of the failure, but no matter how tempting it is to call for the heads of transit directors, ultimately it’s not the right call.
The problems that led to the current crisis were not so visible, despite claims to the contrary. There were no financial reports that made clear the pending calamity, no obvious signs of financial failure; the problem was hidden, which is why it also took state auditors so long to catch on.
The board is responsible for oversight, but at some point members have to trust the people they oversee and not micromanage their every move.
It is disconcerting, however, that state regulators have laid much of the blame on the board and the body has yet to issue a public apology for its role in the financial collapse of Island Transit. Instead, board members such as Island County Commissioner Helen Price Johnson and Coupeville Town Councilman Bob Clay have released letters to the editors or viewpoints that paint rosy pictures of how things are finally getting back on track.
More than 20 people lost their jobs. That corrective measures are being taken is expected, and board members should stay on so they can help clean up the mess made under their watch. But one would think that begins with some admission of accountability.
