by Staff Writer
On June 15, 2023, Burien residents and the whole world witnessed two public hearings regarding: Charles Schaefer, Chair of the Burien Planning Commission, and Council member Cydney Moore.
Planning Commissioner Lena Pace, who is employed as DESC Housing Compliance Associate, Quality & Information Management, read aloud a testimony letter she claimed came from five to eight members of Burien boards and commissions. The alleged letter claimed that Charles Schaefer was an exemplary commission chair, ran tight “no-nonsense” meetings that were “on task,” and followed Robert’s Rules of Order. She stated she had learned a lot from him, and if Charles was removed, she would resign.
Planning Commissioner August Hahn testified that Charles Schaefer had First Amendment Rights to speak out, move the tent campers around and direct them to other possible places to camp in the city and that Charles was a good PC chair. There were other glowing comments for Charles from his supporters. Based on these comments for Charles and how excellent the Burien Planning Commission meetings ran, I went to the Charles Schaefer Burien Planning Commission Chair FB page. https://www.facebook.com/CharlesForBurien/
What was on that page was startling! Charles Schaefer, the Burien Planning Commission Chair, FB, had been directing the Commission and public members to play Taylor Swift games during the Planning Commission (PC) meetings. Planning Commissions deal with land use and zoning- RCW 35.63. Why would he/they be playing games, not following the meeting agendas, and promoting a commercial entertainer during PC Meetings and the Burien Shape the Future Advisory meetings?
I went into the posted agendas and minutes for the PC meetings, and there was no written reference to the games that Charles was directing. Still, we know they happened because Charles has posted references to them on his official Planning Commission Chair FB page. It appears these Planning Commission meetings and “Shape the Future” meetings are not as open and transparent as the public had been told they are, that the Planning Commission Meetings had not been tight “no-nonsense” meetings on task, and they had not completely followed Robert’s Rules of Order- as Lena Pace and other commissioners have stated. (And I’m not sure Charles had the First Amendment right to do games and ads for Taylor Swift during them). Secret clues were embedded in the dialogue of the PC meetings by the Chair that referred to Taylor Swift, and Commissioners and viewers of the meetings were supposed to guess what their real meaning was as related to the city or who knows what?
According to RCW 35.63.030, the Council can remove Planning Commissioners for inefficacy, neglect of duty, and malfeasance. The Taylor Swift games and promotions, as well as the public safety hazard of directing the homeless around the city to questionably safe camping sites, was/is more than sufficient reason to have removed Charles Schaefer from the Planning Commission. The Planning Commissioners knew of these games but never reported them to Michele Barrera/Admin. Assistant, clerk, and recorder for the Planning Commission. It remains unclear if Susan McClain was aware they were happening at Planning Commission meetings. Doesn’t this impact whether these meetings were truly following the rules for the Open Public Meetings Act? If, in fact, this secret game playing, advertising for a third party agent or enterprise is a violation, then any voting or actions taken during these meetings are null and void.
Perhaps it is best for our city and community that the Planning Commissioners and members of other boards involved with or supported Charles’ unethical behaviors have resigned. It is time for a clean, more transparent direction for the Burien Planning Commission and perhaps other city boards. The Council should tighten up its procedures for screening, interviewing, appointing, and training members for this Commission. It seems very strange that volunteer commissioners would resign in mass via a single letter rather than as individual commissioners! Further, some members of this Commission had not disclosed possible conflicts of interests and, following disclosing possible Appearance of Fairness issues prior to voting. Shouldn’t Susan McClain/Director of Community Development, have better monitored what was happening with this Planning Commission?
While Charles Schaefer has been removed from the Planning Commission, the actions and voting taken by this Commission before the removal and resignations of the commissioners should be examined for legality under Washington State law.
See at the bottom of this letter the documentation of the Planning Commission Chair’s illegal promotion and advertising for a professional entertainer and promoting her website and products during Planning Commission official meetings.
On the Council majority vote to allow Cydney Moore to remain on the Council with no consequences for malfeasance-
While the Council majority voted not to take allowable action against Cydney Moore, can’t a member of the Council who voted not to take action against her request bring this again before the Council for a vote based on the comments she made after the vote about her own malfeasance and lack of willingness to follow the Council’s Rules of Order? Council member Cydney Moore should have been censured by the Council or resigned as she publicly admitted to doing the same unethical, neglect of duty, and malfeasance behavior as Charles. At the 6-15-23 meeting, she publicly stated not to respect the Council’s Rules of Order, and she openly refuses/refused to follow the ethical responsibility to resign. She has violated her Oath of Office and refuses to follow the Council’s Rules of Order and the City’s Code of Ethics. Allowing her to continue to vote unrestrictedly causes further damage to the city and its residents.
Many Burien residents are concerned about allowing a double standard of behavior for Cydney Moore. This kind of double standard should not be permitted for any council member.
Respectfully,
Dr.C.Edgar
____________________
Charles Schaefer
Source Charles Schaefer Burien Planning Commission
6-15-23
0 comments
Charles Schaefer, Burien Planning Commission Chair
12h ·
“In addition to Taylor Swift references, I also make zoning jokes!”
Charles Schaefer, Burien Planning Commission Chair
12h ·
“I don’t know if I ever posted last meeting’s surprise song reference. A fun track off of Midnights.”
0:01 / 0:01
0 comments
Charles Schaefer, Burien Planning Commission Chair
12h ·
“What better way to end a relatively long meeting (and potentially my last one as commission chair) than with tonight’s surprise song reference, the closing track of and my favorite song on Evermore?”
We had a lot of public feedback and commission discussion on our Ambaum Boulevard Park topic, which will be discussed again at our July 12th meeting, at which time we may make a recommendation to the Council.
We also deferred action adding the city’s Native Lands and Peoples acknowledgment to the start of our agendas as some commissioners would like to draft additional language committing us to responsible stewardship of lands within city boundaries moving forward.
Tomorrow we will be meeting at the Boulevard Park Library, along with the city council and staff, to have a walking tour of Boulevard Park and discuss zoning options. It’s a public meeting, and anyone is welcome to attend! I expect it to be mostly talking and not an exhausting amount of walking.
Charles Schaefer, Burien Planning Commission Chair
13h ·
“What better way to end a relatively long meeting (and potentially my last one as commission chair) than with tonight’s surprise song reference, the closing track of and my favorite song on Evermore?
We had a lot of public feedback and commission discussion on our Ambaum Boulevard Park topic, which will be discussed again at our July 12th meeting, at which time we may make a recommendation to the Council.
We also deferred action adding the city’s Native Lands and Peoples acknowledgment to the start of our agendas as some commissioners would like to draft additional language committing us to responsible stewardship of lands within city boundaries moving forward.
Tomorrow we will be meeting at the Boulevard Park library, along with the city council and staff, to have a walking tour of Boulevard Park and discuss zoning options. It’s a public meeting, and anyone is welcome to attend! I expect it to be mostly talking and not an exhausting amount of walking.”
Charles Schaefer, Burien Planning Commission Chair
May 16, 2023
“Just for everyone who was wondering, I didn’t get in a Taylor Swift reference at the last meeting. When we host meetings of the Burien 2044 advisory committee, I do a lot less speaking because we have several other people in addition to our normal planning commission, and the consultants run the majority of the meeting.
Next Wednesday, 5/24, we are continuing our Ambaum/Boulevard Park discussion, and in addition to having a few lyrics in mind to work into conversation, I will also be making some substantial proposals to accommodate increasing density along our major corridors.”
Charles Schaefer, Burien Planning Commission Chair
April 27 ·
“Video of tonight’s planning commission meeting isn’t up yet, but for anyone who hasn’t figured it out, the secret Taylor Swift reference was “Maroon,” which, conveniently, was the color of the lines designating pedestrian-oriented streets in our Ambaum Boulevard Park plan preferred alternative. This Monday, the Council will be deciding what to do with our 4-1 (several absences tonight, all excused) recommendation to approve the plan.”
Author
Charles Schaefer, Burien Planning Commission Chair
“Now that I’m (hopefully) not being removed from the Commission, we’re going to continue this game until I get bored of it, which probably won’t be for a long while, but at least until the end of July since I am going to the Eras tour when it gets to Seattle.
I paid my own money for the tickets, not city funds, but there are certain people who think that when you’re a volunteer on a city advisory board, everything you do represents the city, so I hope those people are in their feelings more than Drake about this.”
Charles Schaefer, Burien Planning Commission Chair
April 12 ·
“Here’s a new game you can play along with when you’re watching our commission meetings at home. Listen for the Taylor Swift lyric references! As I said in this clip, I don’t know how long I’ll be on the Commission, but while I’m there, I want to make it fun.”
Charles Schaefer Burien Planning Commission -3
Charles Schaefer, Burien Planning Commission Chair
“I might start working Taylor Swift lyrics into our planning commission discussions.”
