This letter is written in response to the June 26 editorial, “Done behind closed doors,” criticizing the Island County commissioners for “hiding the process by which they fill the important position of Island County planning director.”

With over 26 years of public sector management experience, much of it in the area of human resources, I volunteered to assist the commissioners and the human resources director in designing and administering the planning director selection process. As such, I would like to offer my perspective on this matter.

I have been directly involved with dozens of hirings for department head level employees in the state of Washington. The commissioners in their role as hiring authority were totally involved and engaged in every step of the process. They fully understood the importance of this effort and moreover, the importance of selecting someone who understood the practice of active community engagement in developing land use policy, versus the more sterile and mechanical requirement of mere public notice. The referenced article suggesting that the commissioners reverted to “secrecy” is an inaccurate and unfortunate mischaracterization. Confidentiality is routine in the vetting of applications. To do otherwise would very likely have a negative and chilling effect on the process.

The commission form of government in Island County, like all other forms of government in our state, is a “representative democracy.” The commissioners were elected for a variety of reasons, their opinions, philosophies, and judgment chief amongst those reasons. The hiring of a department head level position should not be decided by a community mixer. It is not a popularity contest. It is rightly vested with the hiring authority, specifically the three commissioners that we have entrusted to represent us ably and honestly.

In my opinion, as a career public sector official and an Island County resident who expects transparency and consideration of public opinion from my government at all levels, I have no hesitation in saying that the citizens of Island County have been well served and well represented by their commissioners in this process.

John McFarland

Freeland