LETTER CENSORED BY KARI MAR

In the March 11 article "Blaine City Council lifts downtown building, design requirements for one year" by Grace McCarthy, Blaine City Councilwoman Sarbie Bains--who stands to benefit financially from her vote--remarked about Salishan residents who allegedly opposed the council action but didn't attend, “They knew the meeting was happening. Everything is publicized, right? So I think if somebody had a problem with it, why wouldn’t they show up?”

Bains evidently forgets what happens to civic opponents of the mayor and city manager, as reported in the December 10, 2025 article "Judge denies request for protection order reconsideration surrounding city council speech" by Pat Grubb, in which four open government activists holding city hall accountable received death threats by a supporter of the mayor. 

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