BAINS FORFEIT OFFICE

March 31 letter to Blaine City Clerk:

I have yet to receive a response to my March 15, 2026 letter to Blaine City Clerk Samuel Crawford regarding the March 9, 2026 Interim Zoning Control Ordinance voted on by Councilwoman Sarbjit Bains. Bains' self-inurement vote that financially benefits her family's four commercial properties violates the Blaine City Council Rules of procedure, and under state law requires that she immediately forfeit her public office on the city council.

Councilmember Bains did not disclose these financial interests, either her own commercial property in the affected zone or her spouse's property interests, before deliberations or the vote. She did not recuse herself. She knowingly voted in favor of legislation that directly benefits her family's financial interests.

RCW 42.23.070 prohibits municipal officers from: "(1) Using his or her position to secure special privileges or exemptions for himself, herself, or others…" 

By voting to eliminate downtown development restrictions that directly benefit the commercial and real property she and her spouse hold in the affected zone, Councilmember Bains used her official position to secure a special privilege, increased development potential and market value for her own financial benefit. This constitutes self-inurement under Washington law.  

RCW 42.36: Appearance of Fairness Doctrine 

The targeted elimination of restrictions within a specific geographic zone, with immediate and documentable financial benefit to an identifiable property owner who is also the voting official, invokes the Appearance of Fairness Doctrine regardless of whether the city classified the action as legislative. City Attorney Ruffatto explicitly warned all Blaine officials on February 21, 2025: "for direct financial conflicts, recusal is not a cure" and the conflict "simply cannot coexist with public office." The controlling precedent City of Raymond v. State Auditor (1998) holds that such violations render the decision void ab initio and require forfeiture of office, regardless of good faith or intent.

Blaine City Council Rules of Procedure: Rules 22 and 29 

Rule 22 requires a councilmember with a conflict of interest to: (1) disclose the conflict on the record before any discussion; (2) recuse; and (3) leave the chambers. 

Rule 29 (Appearance of Fairness) mandates disqualification where a councilmember holds a monetary interest in the outcome or has ownership of property in the vicinity. Councilmember Bains satisfied both grounds and took none of the required steps. 

Blaine City Council's recurring pattern of voting on zoning matters in which officials hold undisclosed financial interests, combined with systematic suppression of public participation and manipulation of public records represents a serious and ongoing threat to the integrity of local governance in the City of Blaine, Washington.