APPEARANCE OF FAIRNESS

7/11/25 letter to city, county, and state:

The recommendation by Blaine City Manager Mike Harmon and Mayor Mary Lou Steward to suspend the Blaine City Council Rules of Procedure for filling a council vacancy at the June 23, 2025, city council meeting violates the Appearance of Fairness doctrine (RCW 42.36). Remarks by Harmon and Councilman Richard May in the June 25, 2025 issue of The Northern Light indicate a failure by the City of Blaine to enforce the Ethics in Public Service Act (RCW 42.52). 

  • Public officials have an ethical obligation to act impartially and in the best interest of the public, not to favor one candidate over others based on personal preference or political alignment. The "Appearance of Fairness Doctrine" (RCW 42.36) strongly supports this.

    • If the city manager or other officials are using their official position, resources, or influence to actively promote one candidate over another, it could be seen as a misuse of public office. While the Ethics in Public Service Act (RCW 42.52) primarily addresses financial conflicts, the spirit of it is about upholding public trust and avoiding actions that benefit private interests or unfairly disadvantage others in public processes. 

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