Doesn't operate that way

Spirited public debate is a cornerstone of the American political system. We have seen plenty of it at Whitefish City Council meetings, and although at times it may be uncomfortable, I would argue that it is a positive thing, resulting in better public policy.

Comments made by the Northwest Montana Association of Realtors in a May 23 article in the Daily Inter Lake, however, crossed the line. In the article, NMAR's paid spokesperson, George Culpepper, Jr., implied that the city was acting in an underhanded fashion, and furthermore, that the city might engage in a coverup.

Let me say this once, loud and clear, for everyone to hear — the city does not operate that way.

During my two-year tenure on the city council, I'm happy to say that I've seen no evidence of unethical conduct on the part of the council or city staff. To the contrary, I have observed a culture of carefully following the law, the intent of the law, and beyond that, of just doing what is "right." Whether they agree with individual policies or not, the citizens of this community can feel proud of their city and the way it conducts business.

I called Mr. Culpepper to express my dismay at his statements. He does not have any evidence of the city behaving improperly or hiding anything.

A free and open debate on the issues is healthy. But unfounded accusations of conspiracy and coverups only serve to divide us unnecessarily, and are a disservice to the community.

I invite NMAR to instead work with the city cooperatively. "The city," after all, is really just your neighbors. There are areas where we could work together for the benefit of all.

For example, there's no denying that the city's Critical Areas Ordinance has presented the real estate agents that the NMAR represents with a new challenge in terms of understanding the effects of the ordinance and knowing how to advise their clients. Real estate agents need accurate information about the requirements of the ordinance for various types of properties.

I offer to work with NMAR and city planning staff to develop an informative document tailored to the needs of the real estate community. Planning staff could also host a question-and-answer session regarding the Critical Areas Ordinance for real estate agents and other interested members of the community.

I will be contacting the NMAR board shortly to follow up on these ideas. Let's work together.

Nancy Woodruff is a Whitefish city councilor.