Western Front - 1976 December 3

              western Front FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1976 VOL. 69 NO. 17
LOOKING AHEAD — A Seattle family on a Thanksgiving outing takes in the view from atop a hill in Seattle's Gas Works Park.
Disclosure rules: trustee resigns
by HARRY MCFARLAND
and SUKI DARDARIAN
SEATTLE- Western could be left with­out
a Board of Trustees in January,
unless the Public Disclosure Commis­sion
grants exemptions from Refer­endum
36 to the board members.
Vice" Chairperson Patrick Comfort is
the board's first casualty because
of the referendum. Comfort, a Tac-oma
lawyer, made public his resig­nation
at yesterday's board meeting.
The referendum, passed in the Nov­ember
election, requires state-ap­pointed
officials to report on their
financial affairs. The deadline for
filing the reports is in/January,
according to a Public Disclosure Com­mission
spokesperson.
Comfort, in a letter to out-going
Governor Daniel Evans, said he felt
it would not be worthwhile to con­tinue
as a member, because his term
ends March 12, 1977, and "It would
be a momentous task spending two or
more days compiling financial infor­mation.
"Under the law, I would have to give
information pertaining to my former
law firm. I don't think my former
partners would appreciate the public
disclosure of their clients," Com­fort
said.
In his letter of resignation, he
asked Evans to accept the resig­nation
before the end of the year,
so he would not have to comply with
the law.
The board, because of Comfort's res­ignation,
elected Bellingham banker
Paul Hanson as the new vice chair­person.
They also passed a resolution giving
College President Paul Olscamp "all
powers, duties'and authorities pre­viously
reserved to the board" in
case other trustees resign, and the
board is left without a quorum of at
least three members.
Board meetings would still continue,
even if there is no quorum. However,
Olscamp said he "would not bring any
critical or controversial issues to
the board during that period."
The resolution, effective until the
end of March, 1977, can be terminat­ed,
at any time by the board.
Although the referendum exempts
bankers, Hanson has applied for an
exemption because of his membership
on corporations* boards of directors.
He said he would have to resign if
the exemption is not granted, but he
said he as every intention of remain­ing
on the board.
Hanson summed up the board's frust­rations
when he said, "I strongly
disagree with the law that states
that voluntary members of a public
institution should have to disclose
their personal financial affairs.
Why are the members of the Council
for Postsecondary Education Board of
Directors exempt under the law?"
Spokane lawyer Robert Winston said
he may resign because he does not
want to disclose his clients, adding
that it was a very difficult decision
to make.
Winston has not applied for an exemp­tion,
but said he still may. The
deadline for exemption requests is
Dec. 15.
Board Chairperson Ritajean Butter-worth,
whose husband is a Seattle
lawyer, said she had applied for an
exemption so she would not have to
disclose his partner's clients•
"If I don't get that, I will prob­ably
resign," she said.
Board member A.G. Chin, a Seattle
engineer, said, "If the exemption I
applied for is not granted, I'll re­sign.
I am primarily against the
disclosure of my client list."
Chin said he does not do any bus­iness
with Western, so there is no
conflict of interest.
Another resignation, although un-^
related to Referendum 36, is that
of Assistant Attorney Steve Jam-ieson.
Olscamp explained that
Jamieson is returning to New York
City.