Can Officials and Developers Talk? Sure, Just Do It in Public

Your editorial “He Has an Attitude Problem” (Aug. 19) notes that Douglas Leavenworth appeared to believe he did nothing wrong. I’m not surprised.

When Leavenworth defends himself, saying that he meets with the developer to get more information in a friendly environment, I say do it in public. Let’s all meet at the site. Let’s all talk about it at the same time. No lies, no games and nothing hidden. And no politics.

Leavenworth’s statement about how, in business, you need to “keep the good feelings going” is a slap, slap, slap to the public face.

Public advocates have “no good feelings going” as they watch their communities and environments get shredded to pieces bit by bit at the hands of lunch-buying, golf-playing, land-use barons. For the public, this process is sad to watch and paralyzing to experience.

I like Doug Leavenworth, but Doug blew it. Now he assumes the position of naivete. Less grease from the big wheel would make the spokes a heck of a lot happier, and the brakes would work.

SHERRY LEE MEDDICK

Silverado Canyon