Edmunds County Tribune -

To the Voters of Ipswich City:

Did you read the published meeting minutes from the City Equalization Meeting held on March 21?

There appears to be a serious conflict of interest regarding the assessment votes at that meeting. Five of the six council members were present. Per published meeting minutes, the members voted unanimously to approve all requests for tax relief. To approve those requests a minimum of four yes votes would be required. On three of the items two of the council members present appear to have a conflict of interest (employer is requesting relief). The remaining item, one member has a conflict (immediate family member requesting relief). No votes to abstain were cast. If proper abstentions had occurred by the two members with a conflict on the first three items, an eligible quorum wouldn’t have been met, therefore, a vote should not have occurred on those items. This shows the lack of respect or concern for the proper casting of votes. This is not the first time that abstention votes should have been cast but were not. It will likely not be the last.

If the integrity of your council member matters to you, please express yourself by voting in the upcoming city election on April 9. Your vote is all that will be heard.

- Hank Baker, Ipswich