If you’re following the investigation into Langley Mayor Larry Kwarsick’s handling of his family’s wetland building permit documents, I have attached a PDF of the actual complaint by his former assistant planner (now Planning Director) Jeff Arango. This document aims a focused beam of light on a cloudy and convoluted story-line of vanishing requirements, conflicting dates, missing signatures, and mystery files, all first reported in my four-part series of blog posts.
Here is the link to the actual complaint document which I will call whistleblow. Right click on it, and open to a “new page.” Arango’s narrative is only two-pages, with some supporting email documents at the end. Here it is again: whistleblow
And here is the most recent Whidbey Record story by Justin Burnett describing the “grand jury” type closed-door inquiry/hearing which will assess the evidence and assess the criminal implications.
Kay, if you like you can email me at whidbeya@whidbey.com or message me on FB to talk about your concerns.
Given the mission statement on Island Counties Website:
The mission of the Island County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is to meet our statutory and constitutional duties to the citizens of Island County and the State of Washington; To vigorously, justly, and efficiently prosecute those who commit crimes in Island County; To provide excellent legal advice and services to the governing bodies and elected officials of Island County; To be effective advocates for the continuous improvement of the justice system; To set the standard for the highest level of professionalism and ethics for the practice of law in Island County.
If the mission statement of the Island County Prosecutors Office is truly a goal of Island County to provide just and fair treatment for all, I for one have had to deal with Mr. Kwarsick over land use issues in Coupeville for the last 4 years. He was able to pass Emergency Ordinances and intentionally make rules with the intent to prohibit me from utilizing my property in Coupeville. When I see an individual that has the power to manipulate ordinances /regulations and benefit from them, and do just the opposite to others that have good intentions associated with property rights, it definitely should be a crime for any public official that intentionally takes advantage of their position to allow for personal gain (Example his families Langley wetlands property) verses his involvement as a planner for Coupeville. I would guarantee Mr. Kwarsick would make up rules and regulations in the Town of Coupeville to never allow for an opportunity he approved for himself and his family in Langley. I have experienced several occasions where Mr. Kwarsick has intentionally interpreted codes utilizing “the intent of the town” language when the codes were in place long before he held the position of planner. He did not know what the intent was when the code was written. The same applies when he mentions “Grandfathered In”. Ask him who is and who is not he will say it only applies going forward yet has no log book to show who is or who is not. Mr. Kwarsick will, and has, on many occasions, force his opinions rather than follow the Code in the name of preservation for the Town of Coupeville. It does not surprise me that he would use his position as Langley Town Planner to alter and approve his personal family plans and apply his own opinion verses what he would require of a private property owner trying to do the exact same thing he approved for his own. I wanted to voice my opinion, and make reference to the mission statement above. Due to the position held at the time of altering and approving his family plans, a third party most certainly should be utilized in the decisions for a City/Town. The intent to approve his own plans should definitely be a crime. I know what he is requiring of me in the Town of Coupeville, just to clear a few trees should be a crime too, however, he is able to bank on folks not having enough money to legally debate the rules and regulations he makes up on an ongoing basis. He changed code 4 times and passed an Emergency Ordinance that stayed in effect for a year to prohibit me from cutting down even one tree in the town of Coupeville. Yet he can approve his own plans to build, clear and grade in a wetland without a clearing and grading permit, and call that ok for himself and make it impossible for anyone else to ever do. Once again, just wanted to make aware my opinion of the Non-Professionalism I have experienced with the power Mr. Kwarsick and the “make the rules as we go” attitude is toward individual property rights.
Good Luck in making your mission statement a reality for Island County,
Skip,
I’m curious – what caused you to report on this topic in the first place? How did it come to your attention?