Shelter Bay group out of order

Dear editor,

Please advise, cannot understand. Good grief!?

Shelter Bay, a community across the Swinomish Channel from La Conner, is under attack from an out-of-order insider group?

One judge has already thrown out an unsubstantiated lawsuit for lack of material proof, so what can possibly be the reason this group continues to harass the board of volunteers who have been elected to steer the community to further the processes they have begun, specifically the extension of the lease on the land owned by the Swinomish Tribe.

Anyone who lives here certainly is aware that living on leased land, myself included, is doing so because we all have signed a lease when we moved here. A lease: a legal, binding contract between an owner of property and the tenant for a specified period of time in exchange for payments of the use of same.

A reminder to all: landlords have the right and ability to determine reasonable increases to land owned by them. The Swinomish Reservation is a sovereign nation, and the tribal counsel may set rules that residents on their land must abide by and determine fines if those rules are broken.

As per their regulations and those of the Shelter Bay community’s what has happened in the past has been litigated and the fine has been paid. Seems like that horse has been beaten and you are wasting your time pursuing offenses in the past. Why would any of us want to pay for more litigation costs as a result of this unsatisfied group, yet, here we sit, waiting to see what becomes of this continued insanity!

Since only members of the community may vote it seemed wasteful to place a half page ad encouraging folks out and beyond the boundary to meet candidates for an upcoming election that requires ownership in the community. Why not use your talent, money and energy to work with, not against the volunteers who give up considerable portions of their time to work out the kinks and issues that come with the territory. If past rules are wrong, work to change them. That kind of help is most welcomed.

Back in the late '60s there were peaceful demonstrations against the war in Vietnam and "peaceniks" were told by uninformed individuals "If you don't like it here, leave!" It was said to me back then as I'm saying to you, work with those who are trying to make the changes from within. This community isn't going to go away and grandstanding about past grievances isn't helping the climate herein.

Meanwhile, to the aggrieved group:

Give it up! Your "sour grape" efforts are causing more grief in this community than the time we all have left is worth, not to mention the cost we all bear to fight the complaints. Greater griefs are weighing down on us globally than this petty lawyer-ing-up in little ole La Conner.

Respectfully submitted.

M J Craig is a resident of the Shelter Bay Community with great fondness for Skagit County and the town of La Conner.