Shelter Bay questions

A majority of the current and recently past volunteer Directors of Shelter Bay (SB) have accomplished the following over the past several years.

• Voted to have the members of SB pay the fine of $92,500 imposed by the Swinomish Tribe against a now-former director, who denuded Rainbow Park for his sole personal benefit, and further, and has obligated the members of SB to pay for the reforestation and maintenance of Rainbow Park at the cost of an additional $120,000. They did not legally pursue this former Director to collect the fine and damages imposed. Why?

• Failed to follow the SB Bylaws and Washington state law in approving a budget in 2022-23 without a proper notice and approval of the membership. They have continued to disregard SB Bylaws and Washington state law with respect to subsequent budget approvals. Why?

• Voted to hire Akid’nson LLC to negotiate the 2023 ten-year lease increase with the Swinomish Tribe at a cost of $390,000 to SB members and executed a contract with Akid’nson, which had been administratively dissolved by the Washington Secretary of State. That amount does not include additional expenses paid of over $100,000. Akid’nson’s proposal, adopted by the five-member majority, is nearly identical to what was proposed by the Swinomish Tribe in 2014 and rejected by the board at that time under pressure from the community. The approved 10-year rental increase will double the rent for each SB member for the next ten years. Why?

• The five-member majority has disseminated misinformation and actual false information about the above issues, and that doesn’t include the swimming pool debacle which remains unresolved. Why?

• Then, there is the unwarranted retaliation on two duly elected fellow Board members, who sought only transparency and accountability, but only received suspension and vilification for their efforts. Why?

If you did not know all of this, it is because the majority (five members) of the board choose to conduct all of the above secretly in executive session. Why?

Three of these former and current board members want us to re-elect them. Why should we?

Steve Klein

Shelter Bay