Edmonds City Councilwoman Mauri Moore was a no-show at an open public meeting she scheduled for Monday, June 25, at a local coffeehouse.
Moore said heavy traffic impeding travel from Olympia to Edmonds caused her to miss the 5:30 p.m. meeting at Caffé Ladro, located at 8403 Main St. in the Five Corners neighborhood. Five people showed up for the meeting and waited nearly an hour for Moore, according to Lynn Wilson, one of the five.
A manager at Caffé Ladro said staff was told the meeting would occur but no one called to cancel it or relay a message to those waiting. Moore said she didn’t have Caffé Ladro’s phone number with her during her trip.
She apologized at the June 26 council meeting for her absence and said the meeting has been rescheduled for 5:30 p.m. Monday, July 2.
Moore announced during the council-comment portion of the June 19 council meeting her intention to hold what she called a constituents meeting. The following morning she asked city staff responsible for posting city-government announcements on cable television Channel 21 to include mention of the meeting.
The meeting and request for inclusion of information about it on Channel 21 prompted several council members and members of the public to question the appropriateness and legality of both issues in light of Moore’s status as a candidate for public office, said Mayor Gary Haakenson. She and assistant city engineer Don Fiene have filed to run against Haakenson, who is going for a third term as mayor.
Haakenson said he referred the issue to city attorney Scott Snyder, who sent Moore an e-mail explaining guidelines for use of public properties – Channel 21, in this case – to advertise meetings and the necessary limitations that follow.
Snyder recommended Moore conduct no campaigning and defer questions about her candidacy to a more appropriate forum.
“You will have your toes right up to the line,” Snyder wrote. “Since there is a lawful way for you to conduct the meeting and this use of Channel 21 has not been prohibited by the council, I cannot advise against it but can warn that you and the city need to be scrupulous in observing the difference between meeting with your constituents as a sitting council member and using public facilities to conduct your campaign.”
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