The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

To The Eagle:

On Monday in the Wahkiakum Superior Court two Cathlamet residents are scheduled to accept a plea agreement in their alleged misuse of Cathlamet Fire Department credit cards. The alleged misuse of these gasoline credit cards over the period of February, 2008, to August, 2010, totals $5,840.

The nature of the crime warranted that both individuals be charged with felony offenses with maximum penalties of five years in prison, and/or a fine of $10,000 plus restitution, assessments and court costs. While the specifications of the plea agreement are not known, some type of enormous penalty on human life and freedoms and financial hardships will be inflicted on both individuals; this has already occurred.

While a continuing Washington State audit of the management of the Cathlamet Fire Department is still underway, this plea agreement and lack of a public trial will abate some serious disclosures and discussions that might benefit the defendants, the state auditor’s office, and most importantly, citizens of Wahkiakum County.

There have been contentious public meetings about the management of the fire department and well documented in The Eagle and Daily News. There have been more than obvious dereliction of duties allowed to occur in management of the Fire Department.

These are the few questions I have and hope other citizens would want answered:

1. How should the misuse of these credit cards be viewed with two years without oversight, and no accountability by the assistant fire chief and his office staff?

2. How was the assistant fire chief allowed to pre-investigate a crime without reporting it immediately to the police?

Again, while the exact nature of the plea agreements with the accused is not known, I recommend:

1. The assistant fire chief, his deputy and office manager acknowledge their lack of responsibility in allowing this theft to occur over two years and that they be held responsible to reimburse the fire department for the loss of $5,840.

2. The assistant fire chief and his deputy reimburse the county and state for all assessments and court costs and submit their resignations.

3. And finally, some support and consideration be granted the defendants by the court for what appears to have been a crime, but the extent of this crime should never have been allowed to happen and go on for such a long time. Who is really guilty?

Dennis T. Gordon

Puget Island