Even more at the Washington County Insider. If this is the case, it’s an egregious abuse of power to force a board member out. Why? The conflict of interest issue doesn’t make any sense. There must be more to the story.

I am writing to you today to notify you that I will be, under duress, submitting a letter of resignation tomorrow as District 11 County Board Supervisor.  I will be resigning because my mentally ill daughter is receiving services through Washington County Social Services (tentatively through January 2019).  Due to my place on the County Board, her services would have to be outsourced to another county and would cause Washington County to incur additional costs of between $4,000 & $20,000.  I would have been willing to forego my salary to cover the additional expenses but wasn’t given that opportunity.

I would like to highlight that there are currently no ethics breaches or perceptions of breaches.  The County Attorney has even written that he does not allege that I “am in breach of the Code of Ethics… or that you are not an ethical person or a man of integrity”.

Under duress, I was forced to request a determination from the Ethics Board which found “not based on any wrongdoing or ethical violation” that there was a conflict of interest and recommended that I resign from the County Board.

I would like to state for the record that this sets a dangerous precedent as any County Board Supervisor could have a conflict of interest and be forced to resign if any member of his or her family, including extended family receives any service from the county, including but not limited to:

– Long-term care assessment

– Short-term care coordination

– Access to benefits specialists

– Dementia care-giver support

– Senior Dining and home delivered meals

– Child support

– Victim/Witness support services

– AODA

– Veterans Services

I am truly dismayed and disheartened at the treatment I have received throughout this process.  Rather than look for, or accept, alternative solutions, I have been coerced, threatened and intimidated into this course of action.

I have enjoyed getting to meet all of you and wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Thank you,

William Blanchard