Plunkett cleared
again in ethics case
Edmonds City Council member Michael Plunkett has been cleared of any wrongdoing in an ethics case for a second time by an attorney outside the city.
Mark Roe, chief criminal deputy prosecutor in the Snohomish County prosecuting attorney’s office, determined that Plunkett committed no crime when he failed to disclose campaign contributions related to agenda items prior to votes on those items at two City Council meetings.
Plunkett had already disclosed the contributions to the state Public Disclosure Commission, but Edmonds city code says intentionally failing to disclose contributions related to city actions in an open meeting setting is an offense punishable by a fine, jail time and/or removal from office.
At one of the meetings, Plunkett was given the wrong information by the city attorney about the disclosure requirement.
“Frankly, I can’t even muster up any suspicion in this matter. It appears that Mr. Plunkett complied in spirit, and I don’t see much evidence to the contrary that would justify criticizing his actions,” Roe wrote.
The case was sent to two attorneys outside the city for review to avoid any conflicts of interest.
“I’ve meet all state requirements for disclosure and the intent of all city code,” Plunkett said. “And now, two legal experts after two separate reviews have agreed.”
Man granted stay of deportation
Members of a Syrian family who fear that the father would be tortured and possibly killed upon return to Syria may continue living in the United States for now, a federal judge has ruled.
U.S. District Judge Barbara Rothstein in Seattle agreed on Monday to continue a stay of deportation for Safouh Hamoui, his wife, Hanan Ismail, and their eldest child, Nadin Hamoui, according to the family’s attorney, Bernice Funk.
The family was taken from its south Snohomish County home by Immigration and Naturalization Service officers on Feb. 22, 2001. They were held in federal detention in Seattle because they had ignored a 2000 court order to show up for deportation, following the advice of their previous attorney.
Ismail and Nadin Hamoui were released in November; Safouh Hamoui was allowed to go home in December. The family’s case is pending in court.
Edmonds in Bloom
is gearing up
Members of Edmonds in Bloom are busy planning the community garden group’s activities for this year.
The Spring Gardening Festival, co-sponsored by the Greater Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, will open the season’s events in May. In addition to the eighth annual Summer Garden Competition, the community group will again sponsor the popular Edmonds in Bloom Garden Tour in July, when summer blooms are at their best.
“I am looking forward to a great year of Edmonds in Bloom community events,” said group president Ramona Faires. “We are selecting exceptionally beautiful gardens for our garden tour, and we’re expecting more entrants than ever in the garden competition and creating a new category for children.”
Volunteers are being sought for all Edmonds in Bloom projects. The group is especially seeking people with a background in copy writing, public relations, marketing and graphic design. One position is also open on the Edmonds In Bloom board of directors.
For more information, call 425-771-2631.
Garden club
offers scholarship
The Floretum Garden Club of Edmonds offers a scholarship each year to a high school graduate who plans to pursue a career in horticulture, floral design, landscape design, botany, forestry or a related field.
The scholarship recipient may attend any college, community college or university in Washington during the year following the award of the scholarship.
Applications for the club’s scholarship are due April 11. For more information, call Barbara Turner at 425-776-1557.
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