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Commissioner reads code of conduct, defends staff after Square Lake transparency dispute
Summary
A commissioner read the board’s operating procedures and accused another commissioner of suggesting staff failed to follow public process for the Square Lake improvement project; staff later provided minutes that show the project was discussed at a May 15, 2025 Parks and Open Space Commission meeting.
Commissioner Biel read portions of the Washington County Board of Commissioners’ operating procedures and guidelines at the start of the Aug. 19 budget workshops and urged colleagues to avoid personal attacks and to respect public‑meeting processes.
Biel noted that the board unanimously passed the operating procedures in April and read several provisions, saying board members “should show respect for other viewpoints” and that “discussion should be confined to the current issue or policy being debated.” Biel said the code of conduct instructs members to “avoid questioning the motives of and refraining from personal attacks on another county board member, member of the public, or county staff member.”
Biel said the remarks were prompted by last week’s board meeting, where Commissioner Clawson questioned staff and suggested a lack of transparency related to the Square Lake improvement project. “During the discussion related to Square Lake improvement project last week, staff and members of the board's commitment to transparency was questioned by commissioner Clawson by blaming a public process by claiming a public process was not followed,” Biel said.
Biel said staff later provided minutes from the May 15, 2025 Parks and Open Space Commission meeting and the PowerPoint that showed Square Lake improvements were on that commission’s agenda and that the project appears in the county’s capital improvement plan packet. Biel thanked staff for providing those records and for ensuring the public process was followed.
Commissioner Clawson told the board she planned to respond in writing and asked for time to speak for three or four minutes at a future meeting to explain why she raised transparency concerns. “This type of comments are not on the agenda. I would like to, respond in a written format as well as commissioner Bigham has prepared to state and show that that is actually a concern of mine and that I do have reasons for why I brought it up,” Clawson said.
No formal action was taken during the workshop. The exchange was recorded during the opening portion of the televised budget workshops rather than during a specific project hearing. Staff and commissioners indicated they would follow up with documentary records and a future opportunity for Clawson to present her written response.
