Lewis County Commissioner Sean Swope wrote a commentary in support of 911 services that was published in The Chronicle.
That support can be helpful, and we thank him for that.
But also in that letter, the commissioner divided up constituents into several different groups: residents, transients, business owners, law enforcement and parents. He only linked one group, “transients,” with issues related to crime.
Why?
Has the commissioner decided that only this one group of constituents commits crime?
Let’s all hope that we never feel the need or have the privilege to be paid $100,000 a year, as this commissioner is paid, to divide up neighbors into different sets, single them out and then proceed to punch down on them in a public forum like the commissioner did in that letter.
But wait, there’s more.
None of the legislation written by the commissioner expands services or helps constituents. We’re speaking of the Mask Mandate Ban Resolution (no, the title is not a joke from Mad Magazine) and Ordinance 1354, Chapter 8.80. Both pieces of legislation were advised against by staffers.
Against all better judgment, the commissioner charged ahead anyway, likely violating free speech, privacy and equal protection laws, removing health resources and protections, and producing worse outcomes for all of us.
Knowing all this, why would a business or any person consider moving to an area whose county commissioner regularly demeans, ignores, blames and victimizes their own constituency in this way?
To make things better, we suggest these three things:
• Recruit and engage grant writers for cities and the county. Seek infrastructure and other projects that will make us more prosperous. There are billions of dollars available for this. Get more of our tax dollars flowing back into Lewis County. This can create living wage jobs, the likes of which we’ve never seen. Bloomberg Grant Strategies is a great place to start.
• Provide stable, wrap-around housing and safe, supervised parking and shelter areas. Fund health care and substance use recovery services.
• And please, please fully fund law enforcement so that they have the tools to stop the flow of fentanyl and other stuff into Lewis County.
There is no need to demonize or further marginalize constituents. We suggest that it is possible to do both: support 911 services and support those marginalized constituents struggling just to exist.
Wishing you all a good day.
Ray Chapman-Wilson
Centralia
