Letters to the editor for Oct. 24

The Olympian should have disclosed its relationship with a candidate it endorsed

On Oct..6, The Olympian Editorial Board published its endorsements for Olympia City Council. This included an endorsement for Dani Madrone in Position 3, citing her professional experience and political connections. However, the Editorial Board’s description of Madrone’s background failed to mention that Madrone was herself a recent member of the Olympian Editorial Board, from 2017 to 2018.

I have no problem with a paper endorsing a former member of its Editorial Board, but failing to disclose that fact does a disservice to the residents of this city looking for a fair, transparent analysis of candidates running for public office. At the time of this writing, The Olympian still has not issued an addendum to its editorial to make its readers aware of the prior relationship between The Olympian and Madrone.

At a time when journalism is under attack from allegations of bias and “fake news,” this kind of unprofessional oversight from our local paper is not only disappointing but dangerous. The health of our democratic institutions relies on journalistic integrity, and I urge The Olympian Editorial Board to do better.

Editor’s note: Thanks for writing, Mr. Martin. We should have pointed out that Madrone was a community member on our Editorial Board for roughly 18 months before she announced that she was running for Olympia City Council. It is not a paid position she held; it was a volunteer post. She attended meetings the board held with groups and officials on issues of concern, and was part of the deliberations on the positions the editorial board would take.

A Green New Mayor for Olympia

As pressures on our natural resources mount, Nathaniel Jones has been working hard to prepare Olympia for the 21st century.

The City Council has adopted a series of green policies. In July, the council unanimously passed several resolutions he authored: to support the Green New Deal, to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, and to support a national carbon fee and dividend.

Jones has worked on environmental issues throughout his career. As a public transit professional, he worked to reduce vehicle trips and fossil fuel dependence. As infrastructure manager for the Capitol Campus, he reduced energy consumption for multiple systems, led an effort to restore the Deschutes Estuary, and retrofitted stormwater systems, including the first rain garden at the campus entrance.

As a City Council member, he worked on low-impact development regulations, solid waste management (including a ban on single-use plastic bags), sea level rise planning, the “Sustainable Thurston” plan, expanding transit services, and energy efficiency initiatives.

Jones is supportive of local residents’ advocacy efforts. He has been the most responsive of the council to the concerns of the Green Cove Defense Committee, a group of residents fighting to make sure the city tests the site of a former hazardous waste dump for contamination and its effects on the watershed before allowing a proposed housing development to proceed.

As Olympia’s mayor, Jones will bring together a broad coalition of farsighted decision-makers to implement far-reaching environmental goals. That’s why I’m voting for Nathaniel Jones.