Commissioner Kelly Emerson should recuse herself in all matters dealing with the Planning Department, land use regulations, and all financial decisions affecting these subjects. She has a huge, irreconcilable conflict of interest in dealing with all such matters.

The basis for this request is not only her lawsuit against two individuals in the Planning Department (which, if for no other reason, should immediately disqualify her from making any decision affecting that department or those individuals), but her demonstrated disdain for reasonable land use regulations designed to protect wetlands from the selfish, destructive actions of a few property owners.

Commissioner Emerson’s lawsuit is, in my opinion, frivolous, vindictive, and a clear attempt to divert attention away from her own actions regarding her own property; actions which, if not stopped, would have resulted in a clear violation of the county’s building permit requirements and possibly various land use restrictions regarding wetlands.

Land use regulations must be based on scientific evidence and facts, not on political ideology. Commissioner Emerson’s bias in favor of allowing property owners to do whatever they want to do on and with their property to the virtual exclusion of all other competing interests (science and the facts be damned) clearly disqualifies her from taking part in decisions by the Board of County Commissioners dealing with all land use issues.

Nels Kelstrom

Clinton