Dear Editor,

As a citizen of Kirkland, I was insulted at the gross violation of decorum as well as the possible violation of state and city laws (at the July 1 Kirkland City Council meeting).

I have for some time questioned a possible relationship of CiViK (Citizens for a Vibrant Kirkland) and three council members — Lauinger, Greenway and Hodgson — and their ability to rule fairly on development projects. After viewing the meeting online, my personal concerns have now been confirmed.

The streaming video of the council meeting shows a very tense mayor trying to give the appearance of holding a fair meeting. Then all appearances fail when he, along with Greenway and Mr. Hodgson, vote not to hear any details of the re-submission of development plans that had been requested of the developer at the last meeting. Fortunately, they were overruled by the other four members of the Council. The Council divided into two armed camps. After five hours, the thin veneer of honest appreciation of contrary positions evaporated from both sides.

The actions of Lauinger and Greenway are appalling, but the action of Tom Hodgson was, in my eyes, not just appalling but seemingly illegal. Against the advice of other City Council members and the city attorney, Hodgson blatantly gave his copy of a “privileged” legal communication to the attorney for CiViK.

Council members are from time to time brought into discussions with not only Kirkland, but other cities, counties and state agencies. Many of these discussions involve confidential and privileged information regarding issues that should not be discussed outside of those meetings. Council members who have shown their failure to be trusted with such information cannot be involved in any such meetings, and thus should not remain on the Council!

~John Overleese, Kirkland