LPOW director fired during mayoral run

SANDPOINT — Lake Pend Oreille Waterkeeper’s board of directors is defending its decision to fire Shannon Williamson as the water quality watchdog group’s executive director.

Former board member Sandy Lange went public with Williamson’s termination earlier this week, contending it was a politically motivated firing because Williamson is running for mayor of Sandpoint.

The board opted not to comment on the matter out of concern that it could have negative consequences for Williamson’s campaign.

“However, we feel a former board member has distorted certain facts and mischaracterized the process by which our termination decision was made and we feel compelled to respond,” the board said in a statement it released on Friday.

The board said Williamson was not transparent about her intent to run for mayor, a fact which emerged over social media and in newspaper reports. Lange told the Sandpoint Reader that the board was “offended” that Williamson did not seek its permission to run for the office.

The board disputed that contention and said it is cognizant that people have political aspirations and support their freedom of choice.

“We did, however, question the rationale of not bringing her intentions to the board and engaging in a conversation that would analyze the pros and cons, and/or the ramifications of our executive director holding down the mayor’s position simultaneously,” the board said.

Williamson said she was blindsided by the board’s action in a statement posted to her candidate Facebook page on Friday. She believed the board appeared to give her full support during her six years on the council, four of which were as council president.

“I was clearly wrong,” she wrote.

Williamson added that she received praise from the board for her outspoken advocacy for guarding water quality.

“To say that I’m confused as to what recently transpired is the understatement of the century and makes me seriously question their political motivations, especially since they authored a board document where they express support for my main opponent, as referenced by the Reader,” Williamson said in reference to incumbent Mayor Shelby Rognstad.

Waterkeeper’s mission is to protect water quality in Lake Pend Oreille and the board notes that its goal is at times at odds with city policy. The board questioned whether Williamson’s transition from council president to mayor if she wins election would affect the amount of time she devotes to waterkeeper.

But Williamson counters that waterkeeper has no policies requiring employees to notify the board of their political ambitions and contends the board made assumptions how she would manage her time if elected mayor. The board also assumed there would be retaliation against waterkeeper simply because she is challenging the incumbent, Williamson said.

“They prematurely reached out to funders to raise unnecessary red flags should I be elected. This is not how a board behaves unless otherwise motivated,” Williamson said in her post.

The board also expressed concern that Williamson’s loyalty to waterkeeper could be diminished by a number of large infrastructure projects involving wastewater treatment, stormwater improvements and downtown street work. The board was further concerned that significant community and foundation funding would be at risk if Williamson was elected mayor.

The board said Williamson was not able to adequately address its concerns and declined to attend an Oct. 8 boarding meeting, apparently believing that she had addressed the board’s concerns over email.

“At that time we had absolutely no intention to follow the path we eventually found ourselves on. If she would have come forward amicably to discuss our concerns, the outcome may have been very different,” the board said.

As a result, the board said it was forced to ask Williamson to either step down as executive director or withdraw her candidacy as mayor. Williamson declined both options, the board said.

The board also noted that Lange voted in favor of communicating the board’s concerns with Williamson and attended board meetings on Oct. 8 and Oct. 23. Lange attended the latter meeting despite resigning the day before. However, she didn’t advise the board of her resignation until Oct. 28, according to waterkeeper’s board.

“This is clearly not responsible board member behavior,” the board said.

Williamson said the now all-male board worked to push Lange out

“They wanted to silence her and she subsequently resigned on principle,” Williamson wrote.

Williamson added that she is concerned for the future of her family but said she is a fighter who does not give up.

“I look forward to the next chapter of my life and I hope that includes serving the citizens of Sandpoint as their next mayor,” Williamson said in her post.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.