Kontos on social media

Much worse than metaphorical slings and arrows are being fired on Shelter Bay social media community platforms, including their Next Door community. A handful of residents who have criticized sanctioned Shelter Bay Community Director Judy Kontos for her postings have called on the Weekly News to investigate, alleging she continues to violate association rules and regulations of confidentiality as a board member. They criticize as not true, as she told residents attending the April 2 town hall meeting - and as the Weekly News summarized in its April 5 story– that she has “worked cooperatively with colleagues in the business world her entire career and during her time on the board has refrained from posting views on social media, frequently seen as a contentious venue.”

Residents point to her mid- and late-March social media posts as evidence that she has an ongoing, or at least recent, aggressive social media presence. Two have sent the Weekly News screen shots on the condition that they not be identified.

These show Kontos assertively engaged with residents in March, since the board suspended her Feb. 15. Residents aggressively criticize Kontos in general and over specific breaches they allege she has made as a board member. They cite the association’s code of conduct rules.

Chapter 40 of the Shelter Bay Community code of conduct requires board members to “demonstrate obedience through adherence to Washington state law and the Shelter Bay Community, Inc governing documents.” Kontos was sanctioned for violating Section 40.020.010 A.4, not “support[ing] the decisions of the board or committee.”

These residents cite Section 40.020.020, Dissemination and Confidentiality of Information, “B. Each Board or Committee member who has access to confidential information … has the responsibility to safeguard all such information, including all records and documents.”

Kontos responded to the Weekly News: “My replies to those posts are after I was suspended 2/15/2023 and the Board launched a one sided campaign of disinformation against me wherein I had no opportunity to rebut that information via the same messaging platform. I will not stand silently while the facts and truth are warped beyond recognition.”

Kontos’ position is that the recall process was purposefully not followed, that an election within 10 days is mandated with a “mail notice to the entire community and schedule a Special Meeting for the membership to vote.”

She has said that documents she cited were already made public, including by staff.

She notes she has supporters advocating for her and views people, five whom she names, as carrying out the board leadership’s agenda against her.

Kontos says she has always adhered to the code of conduct, but the board has a different interpretation of what violating the code is.