Council limits planning meetings

The Oct. 28 council meeting was about planning commission procedures. Marna Hanneman, the planning commission chair, was upset that at the previous planning commission meeting, which was chaired by Carol Hedlin because Ms. Hanneman was absent, the commissioners listened to a group of La Conner citizens who asked to meet with the commission to discuss issues of concerns which will affect future town plans.

The commission had a quorum and, with the advice and counsel of the town planner that those meetings would need to be public and published, voted to have a special meeting on Nov. 1 to have an open ended discussion with town citizens.

Friday, at their meeting, town council members did not seem to understand the intent of the special meeting, and did not seem to notice several Zoom citizens who wanted to clarify that purpose. Instead they listened to Ms. Hanneman who clearly did not want any citizen discussions of planning matters. The town council voted to limit the kinds of meeting the planning commission could have. All the council members, except Ivan Carlson, voted to limit planning commission meetings. Mr. Carlson abstained, saying he did not have enough information.

It is abundantly clear that the majority of the council and mayor do not want citizen involvement in Town planning.

I urge La Conner residents to come to town council meetings (second and fourth Tuesdays, 6 p.m. Maple Hall) and planning commission meetings (third Tuesdays, 6 p.m. Maple Hall).

Help shape the future of your town. I hope to see you there.

Mollie Rights

La Conner