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Public commenter alleges board and staff violated agency rules, raises conflict-of-interest concerns
Summary
At the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency meeting on Jan. 9, a public commenter accused the board chair and executive director of failing to place required items on the agenda and alleged a board member voted on matters involving an industry from which he receives income.
Jean Mendoza of White Swan told the Yakima Regional Clean Air Agency Board of Directors on Jan. 9 that the agency likely violated multiple internal and state rules in recent meetings.
Mendoza said, "either the board chair or the, YRCAA executive director or both likely violate administrative code a section 2 by not placing the discussion of a possible violation of the open public meetings act on the agenda for this meeting." She also alleged that a board member "has repeatedly voted on issues that involve an industry from which he receives significant income."
The allegation cited several provisions by name or number from agency administrative code and state rules. Mendoza also told the board the agency may be out of compliance with WAC 173410220 and referred to the Washington Clean Air Act and the state Open Public Meetings Act in her comments.
Mendoza further alleged the executive director "may have been practicing law without a license," saying an analysis included in the board packet "amounts to a legal argument and imitates language that judges use." She urged the board to review those matters.
Board members did not announce formal responses during public comment. The meeting proceeded to other agenda items; no formal action on Mendoza's allegations was recorded in the Jan. 9 minutes.
Why it matters: Mendoza's statements raise governance questions that, if found to have merit, could affect agency processes for agenda-setting, legal advice, and board member recusal.
What happened next: The board continued with the meeting agenda and did not take formal action on the items raised during Mendoza's public comment. The executive director later delivered the executive director's report during which he clarified permit terminology (see related article on inspections and permits).
