I rise to defend the memory of Maxine Sauter. RIP stands for Rest In Peace, not for RIP her up.

Americans have a tradition of not kicking someone when they’re down. How much worse is it to kick a fine woman when she’s dead and can no longer defend herself? Especially with facts as flimsy and distorted as those contained in your March 26 editorial.

The plain truth is the computing error was in the county’s software, not in the treasurer’s. The Island County Auditor’s office which maintains county funds found the error in their normal course of business during the summer of 2002. None of us knew of it until then. Maxine began to take action to correct things as soon as the auditor’s office sounded the alarm.

In that same year, the State Auditor’s office reviewed the treasurer’s office in their annual audit of the county and came away with no finding against Maxine. It was her last audit. That is, it was her last audit until your shoddy research and insensitivity sullied the memory of a woman whose only goal was to serve the people of Island County.

Shame on you.

Mac McDowell

Oak Harbor