Editor,

In the Dec. 7 edition of the Whidbey News-Times, Island County Commissioner Jill Johnson accused Citizens of Ebey’s Reserve of “grandstanding.”

She also claimed that COER has had “ample opportunities in the past to present its views on the (Growler) issue.”

Oh really?

For the past couple of years Central Whidbey residents, including COER’s members, have tried to get the Navy and elected officials, including Commissioner Johnson, to address our concerns about Growler operations.

The Navy refused to listen, preferring instead to meet with “our” elected officials.

In turn, “our” elected officials have preferred to put the economic interests of certain Oak Harbor businesses above the health, safety and welfare of the residents of Island County and surrounding areas.

We’ve tried to talk but nobody has been listening. So, COER filed suit and now suddenly everybody is aware there is a problem.

So how have “our” elected officials responded? Well, Jill Johnson’s response was to stage a presentation to the Navy of Mac McDowell’s bogus petition to keep the OLF open.

She publicly announced she was going to present his petition at the scoping meeting in Coupeville, but chickened out. Instead, she staged her show in Oak Harbor, accompanied by its mayor and the president of its Chamber of Commerce.

The petition added nothing to the scoping process; her presentation was nothing more than a picture moment.

But, poor Jill, COER followed in her footsteps and presented Captain Nortier with a two-foot high stack of materials that were actually germane to the scoping process.

Jill Johnson didn’t like being upstaged and now claims COER was grandstanding.

What on Earth does she think she was doing?

Jill Johnson has repeatedly stated that she represents the constituents of Island County District No. 2, i.e., Oak Harbor.

No Jill, you were elected by all of the voters of Island County and represent all of us, not just the Navy and the Oak Harbor elite.

You need to stop advocating on behalf of certain special interests and start doing your job by actually listening to all of your constituents.

Paula Spina

Coupeville