This is the third article in a series about the Twisp Town Council passing two resolutions on May 13 and its repercussions. You can find the first two artices and background about the resolutions here and here.
A packed room and signatories for public comments greeted the mayor and town council members last week as the public responded to the Twisp Town Council passing what some saw as politically charged resolutions proposed by politically active and savvy community members.
Two community members presented separate resolutions to the Twisp Council on May 13, which consisted of reinstating fire service employees and upholding the U.S. Constitution. Kathleen Manseau, who presented the resolution to support the U.S. Constitution, expressed concern about immigration raids happening nationally.
Some attendees at the council meeting June 10 expressed confusion about what had happened and asked whether the resolutions were passed. (They were.) Others expressed dismay and disbelief.
“It feels to me like the town was used as a bully pulpit for a larger political statement. That’s not what we used to do,” said Fred Cooley, who said he was on the town council in the late nineties.
Others expressed concern about the town council overstepping its bounds.
“What I understand the city council’s responsibilities are the economic, social, and environmental well being of the town of Twisp, so I don’t understand this thing at all and where we are with it,” said Gary Reed, who came from Winthrop.
Kim Frey expressed concern about a proclamation moving to a resolution, policy, and ordinance.
“It is pretty important to give really close attention to not just what it means to the small pocket of people today, but what it has impact on into the future,” said Frey.
Manseau spoke in defense of the resolutions.
“Bringing what seemed like not a controversial document, which is to reaffirm support for upholding the Constitution, it’s not a partisan issue, and also wanting to maintain sufficient resources to fight wildfires, not a partisan issue. We are all on the same side,” said Manseau.
Andy McConkey concurred and said signing the resolutions was the right thing to do.
“When I signed on to these resolutions, I did so because what I saw in them was a mechanism for the town to look out for the most vulnerable people in our community, and both resolutions do that,” he said.
“I do not know why we’re having a discussion about best practices around treatment of human beings and how that became a divisive and partisan issue,” he added.
Others didn’t see the issues as black and white.
Les Stokes, who noted his service on the council, said there could be repercussions from the town’s actions.
“If we start going against the federal government, you could see a lot of other federal money dry up because of it,” said Stokes, noting the town’s newest fire truck was made possible through a $200,000 federal grant.
Several people said they liked Mayor Hans Smith’s suggestions for evaluating proclamations and resolutions from the public. Smith’s suggestions included the resolution’s or proclamation’s relevance to the town, impact on constituents, likelihood of improving conditions, level of divisiveness, and whether the town has the information it needs to make statements or enact policy.
Mike Liu, in a letter to the council, advocated a sixth criteria- whether there are “existing laws or policies in place that adequately address the issue.”
Some residents, however, expressed concern these guidelines may be too restrictive.
“My concern is that this is going to be used as a gatekeeping mechanism to keep out discussions, to keep out conversations that are really important to community members,” said Molly Filer, who is running unopposed in November for position 2 on the Twisp Town Council.
Ann Cummings, who said she has been a progressive Democrat since she was 18, agreed with the resolutions but chastised the council for adopting them as part of town business without a community forum.
“My son, who’s a gun person, could come here and say, ‘we should be able to carry assault rifles.’ It goes both ways, and I don’t believe that this is the right place for that resolution,” said Cummings.
“For a small group to simply come in and almost demand that you pass this, that doesn’t sit well with me,” said Mark Edson.
Others disagreed.
“I feel like we’re in a very strange time now where we would call that divisive and we would call that partisan, and I don’t believe that was the spirit that these were introduced,” countered Rebecca Jensen.
Doug Irvine, who spoke remotely, expressed concern about a small group of politically savvy people using the town council as a “mechanism to put out their messaging and beliefs.”
“Those who understand it can push things through, which may not be representative of the broader community. That is my greatest fear,” said Irvine.
“Proclamations that deal with federal matters either directly or indirectly, or for that matter, hint at political values, beliefs or convictions should not be addressed by the town of Twisp,” he added.
Council members agreed there should be some guidelines for hearing a proclamation or resolution from the public, but council member Will Menzies challenged the mayor’s guidelines, saying they would not apply to the annual Arbor Day proclamation or apolitical resolutions or proclamations brought before the council.
The mayor said two council members could override him by making a motion to hear a resolution or proclamation proposal from the community. A person could also ask a council member to introduce a proclamation or resolution. The mayor’s guidelines are informal. If the council passed their own guidelines, the mayor would have to follow them.
In the end, the council could not agree on an alternative set of guidelines. The mayor said he would follow his own unless or until the council presented alternatives.
