Editor,

I write to express my dissatisfaction with the action taken by the Port of Coupeville Board of Commissioners on July 8.

The unilateral move to sever ties with the Greenbank Farm Management Group was as unprofessional a tactic as I have ever observed in business or government.

How will any future business entity have confidence that contract negotiations with the port will take place in good faith when, at any moment, two of the three commissioners may suddenly vote to cease all dealings with that entity?

Secondly, the stated intent of the commission to take over management of Greenbank Farm themselves is wholly unrealistic.

How can these three men assume the day-to-day and sometimes night-to-night tasks of operating and maintaining the many facilities associated with the farm, when that job currently taxes the efforts of at least eleven full- and part-time people?

The only logical answer is, they can’t. They’ll have to contract the work out.

And now we’re back to my first question: how can any contracting entity trust that the port commission will negotiate in good faith?

Furthermore, this action calls into serious question the motives of the two commissioners, Carr and Bronson, who proposed and approved the motion. With just a few minutes of research on the Internet, I discovered a possible conflict of interest which raises a red flag as to whether at least one of these men, Commissioner John Carr, should be sitting on a commission that is responsible for the financial future of businesses at the farm which are in competition with a business in which Carr has a stake.

Mightn’t we wonder what other schemes these gentlemen are hatching, and whether those schemes are designed to steer public money into private pockets?

During a July 15 meeting held by the Greenbank Farm Management Group, one member of the audience used the word “democracy.”

This is not American-style democracy — there are no checks and balances on the power and authority of the Port Commission.

“The will of the voters?” All well and good, until you realize that we are talking about two commissioners whose terms will be over in November and December. What leverage do the voters have over such autocrats?

Even Commissioner Mike Diamanti, the supposed “good guy” on the port commission, could not answer this question.

The Whidbey News-Times reported on July 15 that David Day, executive director for the Port of Coupeville, said most of the response the port received is positive toward the commission’s July 8 decision.

I find that hard to believe. I stand opposed to the decision, and I encourage my fellow citizens, residents, and other friends of Greenbank Farm to make their dissatisfaction known to Mr. Day and the port commissioners.

Steve DeHaven

Coupeville