Jefferson Community Foundation Plays Victim…And Bully

Jefferson Community Foundation Plays Victim…And Bully

by | Jul 3, 2020 | Local Businesses

A local businessman has left Jefferson County after false accusations of racism incited by the Jefferson Community Foundation. And a small business already devastated by the Governor’s shut down order is the talk of protests and boycotts that could finish it off. Rather than retract its racism libel, Jefferson Community Foundation has opted to let the hate and division it fomented continue to hurt the community it has pledged to uplift and unite.

They turned what could have ended as a pissing match between landlord and tenant into a cause celebre‘ with racial overtones. And now they’re fundraising off the public controversy they created.

JCF has done so much good work it is difficult to understand why they have behaved in such an irresponsible manner. In fairness to them, this article is rather lengthy as I will reproduce in full the relevant documents to justify the conclusions reached.

Sowing Seeds of Discord to Settle a Score

On June 30, JCF announced on its Facebook page and its website that it had been forced to leave its offices at the Salmon Office Park in Port Hadlock and “that the reason cited by Property Manager Brent Garrett was that a Black Lives Matter sign we taped in the window violated a clause in our lease requiring approval for signage.” As will be seen, while he did at one point tell them to vacate because they were violating their lease, he quickly was willing to accept their explanation and allow them to stay. It was JCF that chose to leave, not Garrett who forced them out.

JCF complained in its announcements that its Black Lives Matter sign was being singled out for disapproval, thereby implying a racist motivation on Garrett’s part. JCF stated, “We have been located in the Salmon Office Park for years and have posted many signs in the windows without written approval.” It did not mention that neither it, nor any other tenant, has ever been permitted to post anything that can be considered political or even controversial.

To add to its insinuation of racism by Garrett, JCF went on to proclaim: “Our staff and Board are unequivocally committed to equality and we stand with and support the goals of the Black Lives Matter movement.” On its website the foundation said it was “evaluating potential legal action and reviewing our culture, programs, policies and practices to ensure that we continue to grow in our commitment to anti-racist action.” The implication is clear, the property manager is racist because he would not let them have their BLM sign. Unlike them, he is not growing in his “commitment to anti-racist action.”

This announcement set off a firestorm on social media that only a fool or liar could claim they had not seen coming in this current environment of heightened tensions and sensitivities. One example: Port Townsend Deputy Mayor David Faber shared the JCF post on his Facebook page, declaring, “Absolutely disheartening and despicable to boot out the Jefferson Community Foundation for posting a Black Lives Matter sign in their window.” The comments that followed called the property manager “scumbag,” encouraged escalating the situation with boycotts and protests and broader coverage, and revealed Isaac Sheldon Urner posting “a pissed off review” of the Crazy Otter in Port Hadlock in retaliation because he thought it was Garrett’s business. Urner eventually learned it had been started by Garrett and a partner two years ago but he was no longer involved with the business.

The discussion of the JCF post on other Facebook pages was similar, with calls for protests, retaliation and boycotts of any business associated with Garrett (particularly the Crazy Otter) and a lot of hateful epithets directed against him. JCF permitted these threats and accusations on its own Facebook page–while repeatedly blocking posts of the actual emails underlying the controversy that you will read below.

JCF has allowed to stand on its Facebook page comments such as, “I hope your community makes that owner pay for that decision,” and “I want to know everything this person is involved with so I can boycott.”

Garrett told me that as a result of JCF’s actions he has received hateful calls and all kinds of hate mail. The racist accusation cuts right to his heart as he has three Black members of his immediate family whom he loves dearly.

Garrett has spent years making contributions to Jefferson County. He has started businesses, provided affordable housing, and owned and managed commercial and residential properties. He has struggled with ever-rising taxes and endless regulatory headaches. He has invested money and countless hours to make this a better place to live and work.  But no more.

“This was the last straw.” He was on his cell speaking with me as he drove east. He has left Jefferson County and he’s not coming back. 

It’s a terrible shame, because what JCF wrote is false and they know it. They also obviously know how to incite a mob and did so for the petty purpose of making themselves look like persecuted social justice warriors, while also getting back at Garrett, and incidentally giving themselves another opportunity to seek donations.

JCF Was Not Evicted And Isn’t Telling the Whole Story

Garrett provided me with all the emails behind the controversy. JCF has refused any comment, and not only to me. It also refused to talk to the Peninsula Daily News which ran its own story on July 2.

It started on June 12, when Garrett noticed a very large “Black Lives Matter” sign in JCF’s window (see the photo above). Garrett told me that political signs of any kind have never been permitted at Salmon Office Park. It makes sense. If someone put up a Biden sign, he would have to permit a Trump sign. If JCF could have its BLM sign, someone could insist on an “All Lives Matter,” or a  “White Lives Matter” sign. Or even a “Black Lives Don’t Matter” sign. Things could get out of hand. It is a business park, after all, not a protest site.

Garrett  on Friday, June 12 sent this e-mail to Siobhan Canty, JCF’s president and CEO:

Good morning Siobhan, I’m writing regarding two things; first, please familiarize you [sic] staff with section #8 of our lease. Political signage (your BLM window) applied to this building will not be granted written approval to anyone for obvious reasons. This is time sensitive notice to that fact. I understand. I have black family members, but we can’t do that to the building. Also, on Wednesday Peninsula Heat is upgrading all your heating and air conditioning equipment. They will be going through the common area at some point (after finishing the heat pump outside) to upgrade the air handler. They are wonderful people. Please treat them with due courtesy. Sincerely, BG

Sobhan Canty, President and CEO, Jefferson Community Foundation

He received no response. The very large sign stayed up. He had said this was “time sensitive.” There is apparently a 48-hour deadline in the lease for tenants to remedy violations. Thinking he was being blown off, as Garrett told me, two days later, Sunday, June 14, he wrote to Canty:

Re: Notice! Siobhon, [sic] You have now beached [sic] your lease by ignoring Fridays [sic] email and purposeful inaction. You need to vacate immediately. This is also notice that I will be taking down your BLM signs myself tomorrow morning if they are still up. Also, please immediately remove all the art you have in the hallways. I have new tenants waiting to move in.

He sent that email again an hour later, as it had been sent an hour short of the 48 hour response time in the lease.

Canty now responded, within minutes. Her message in full was: “Notice back to you that I did not see this email until right now. This [is] callous, hateful and undeserved.”

Garrett responded at 7:30 Monday morning: “I suggest we talk in person immediately this morning. Text me when you get in.”

Getting no response, at 1:30 Monday afternoon he tried again: “I’ve been trying to reach you. I texted and called.” At 4 p.m. he heard from Canty: “Hi Brent, A friend of mine died yesterday. Be in touch soon.” He wrote back, “So sorry. A friend of mine died last week. When you’re ready lets talk and smooth this out.”

The next communication from Canty came two days later, Wednesday, June 17. It was entitled, “Move Date”:

Brent, I do not want us to part on bad terms, but I had no option but to take your earlier messages seriously. You clearly terminated the lease, and you also told me that you had a new tenant ready to move in. Because you exercised your option to terminate, JCF is already planning to vacate as soon as possible. We have paid rent in full through June, so I don’t think we can be required to move out before the end of the month, but we have already taken steps to leave. Our plan is to be gone by the end of the day on June 30. If your new tenants need to move in before then, we will do our best to accommodate that, provided you are willing to refund a percentage of the monthly rent for June. I will be in touch again on Monday, as you requested, to talk about that more. Thanks, Siobhan

She sent this without ever responding to his invitation of two days earlier to sit down and talk. He responded within the hour. He was willing to understand that she had not seen the notice of violation and his request to remove the sign. He offered to let it go and let them stay if they wanted.

If it was truly a misunderstanding (unread email) then that can be forgiven if you’d like to stay. But if you’d prefer to move, I do understand. It does sound like that is the course you’ve chosen.

Five days passed until he heard from Canty again, writing near the end of the day the next Monday, June 22:

HI, I am back from the funeral and just seeing this note. Unfortunately, based on your emails last week telling us that the lease was terminated and we had to get out immediately, JCF had to make several quick decisions and we have no choice now but to vacate. In fact, we moved out of all of the common spaces the day I received that notice…that is how fast we thought we had to move. It would be helpful now if we can agree that JCF will move on June 30th. I have a moving company coming tomorrow to give us a quote and I would like to confirm the date with them then, if possible. Is that date ok with you? Also, are you feeling better? I hope so. Thanks, Siobhan

On June 30, near the end of the business day, JCF posted its false announcement about being evicted for posting a BLM sign and set off the firestorm of racist accusations that drove Garrett out of Jefferson County.

Lawyering Up

When JCF’s post provoked hate mail and hateful calls, and he became aware of discussions of protests and boycotts, Garrett got his lawyer involved.

Canty received this letter from attorney Matt Lind, of the Poulsbo firm of Sherrard, McGonagle, Tizzano & Lind, P.C.:

Ms. Canty: I represent Shold Business Park, LLC, d/b/a Salmon Office Business Park, and Brent Garrett as its Manager. My client provided me with the attached images of public posts on your organization’s facebook page. However, I also understand that statements included in this post are false and as such constitute defamation. This email shall serve as a demand that you cease and desist any further defamatory statements, and if this causes any damages to my client, we will seek an immediate restraining order and damages. I suspect your organization has difficulty with funding already, I certainly wouldn’t want to see your organization saddled with attorneys fees and damages for defamation, which are easily avoidance [sic]. You should either remove or substantially revise the facebook post immediately. Your lease includes provisions which require consent from my client for any signage. My client put you on written notice, and perhaps this notice was not initially received, but my client exercised his rights under your lease. This is not for any political reasons, as my client prefers that all politically motivated signage not be used. Note that there is no other political signage allowed at Salmon Office Business Park. My client is entitled to adopt certain standards for appearances and uniformity. My client offered to discuss this with you (for which there is written documentation that you have omitted), including allowing you to stay as a tenant after you removed the signage, but you have refused to engage in a reasonable dialogue on this issue preferring instead to engage in gas lighting. Please do not attempt to create political hysteria based on a pretext. The current circumstances are already difficult enough for us all with COVID and BLM in the background. My client’s demands were solely for business purposes, not political. This has nothing to do with my client’s opinion about the BLM movement. I trust this will resolve this matter. If not, please advise immediately. If you have an attorney, please provide this notice to that person and have them contact me.

Garrett anticipates he will have to eventually sue JCF for the damages and injuries they have caused him. He says it is no longer possible for him to live and work in Jefferson County as a result of their actions.

Jefferson County Foundation’s Deplorable Conduct

They’re playing the bully here. JCF is a power in this community. It has raised and dispersed a lot of money. Not only did it want a special exception for its BLM sign, it wanted to punish the person who would not let them post it. It could have found another space and announced its new location. Instead it went out of its way to stir up hatred and get on its self-righteous but rather petty high horse.

No matter how much money they raise and give away, no matter how wealthy and influential its backers, there is no excuse for how Canty and Jefferson Community Foundation have behaved.

[This article has been corrected to identify Canty as JCF’s president and CEO. It had initially identified her as executive director.]

Masks Forever

Masks Forever

by | Jul 1, 2020 | General

As of Friday, June 26th, 2020, according to Executive Decree 20-03 from the Washington State Secretary of Health, “Every person in Washington State must wear a face covering that covers their noses when in any indoor or outdoor public setting.” 

Initially it was just for Yakima County, which appears to be experiencing an increase in community spread. But, just like the stay at home orders of this past March, our thoughtful governor doesn’t want to leave anybody out of the fun no matter what the China Virus situation is where they live.

It should concern you that this is being done by one man, Governor Jay Inslee, whose self-declared emergency powers, as defined by state law, should have expired on the 31st of March, thirty days after declaration. I have seen no effective push back from our elected representatives, no debate in the halls of the House or Senate in Olympia, no emergency session called to extend or terminate these powers.

I read through executive decree 20-03 so you don’t have to. Here are some of the highlights: At least for now there are exceptions that allow removal of a face covering.  I picked a handful that might help deliver some clarity to Jefferson County:

–We are not required to wear a mask while driving alone in a car.

–We are not required to wear a mask while engaged in indoor or outdoor exercise activities.

–We are not required to wear a mask while sleeping.

And just in case you were wondering, in a delicious irony, the governor’s order does not apply to persons who are incarcerated. So breaking the mask decree, and incurring the penalty of losing freedom, could be another possible option for those among us committed to the no mask ideology.

Asking nicely doesn’t please our dear leader anymore. Governor Inslee has made it clear that members of the public are required by law to comply with his order, and violators may be subject to criminal penalties. Businesses that don’t comply could face the loss of a license, fines, or injunctions.

If this sounds authoritarian, it is. But I will let you in on a secret. On Washington State’s Coronavirus.gov website, the second question on the most-frequently-asked list for Governor Jay Inslee’s order, reads as follows:

Q: I have a reason I cannot wear a facemask. Am I required to document or prove that? 

And the answer from the same Washington State website:

A: This order does not require you to document or prove a reason for not wearing a face covering.

When is this all going to end? In pursuit of that answer, I have spent more time than I care to remember asking questions of bureaucrats and their minions over the last few months. I have learned that the bureaucracies overseeing our existence are organized in a top down manner. The top tells everyone in the bureaucracy what to do and everyone’s job is to do it. There is no room for creative solutions, no reward for out-of-the box thinking, no adjusting for reality on the ground.

As far as the top is concerned, the guidelines for operating in the center of a virus outbreak in Yakima  should be exactly the same as for operating in the center of a non-virus outbreak in Port Townsend.

The top has decided that masking and social distancing are what needs to be done, and the bureaucracies are moving forward with this plan. Whether these methods are effective, or not, no longer matters.

As for when masking will end, I quote Sandy Gessner, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum for the Port Townsend School District, from a recent online meeting with parents to explain the current plan for the upcoming school year.  Please remember, more than likely this is not her policy. This is the policy she has been given by her superiors: “All students must wear a mask until there is a vaccine…or we have herd immunity.”

The future for our students is the future for us.

If you are wearing a facemask and it makes you feel better, then by all means don’t stop.

If you aren’t wearing a facemask, and the governor threatens you with criminal penalties, just say “I Can’t Breathe.”