What the Times-Standard article on CSAC incident did not include

The Times-Standard did an article on the CSAC incident. As I mentioned in my previous post, I wanted to get information from an independent observer. I talked with Mike Sullivan yesterday. He said the article represented his views fairly.

What was not in the article is what I will include in this post. According to Del Norte Supervisor Mike Sullivan, the incident occurred at a meeting of the Coastal County Regional Association. This is not an official committee of CSAC. The atmosphere is very informal. Supervisor Lovelace co-chaired this committee for many years and co-chaired it with another Supervisor from Ventura County.

At the end of the agenda, the item regarding co-chairs came up. They asked for people interested, said Sullivan. "Supervisor Bass expressed interest only if Mark was not opposed to this idea. Mark did not say anything. So, I made the motion to appoint Virginia as co-chair. Again, Supervisor Lovelace did not say anything."

"In hindsight, if he wanted to continue, he should have spoken up." Sullivan then described the incident to me as reported in the T-S. Supervisor Bohn and Bass had their backs, Sullivan saw Mark walk and make a beeline and "it was a hard hit with open palm" and Supervisor Bass took 3 steps forward.

"In Del Norte, we have some pretty difficult decisons to make but I have never seen another Supervisor strike another Supervisor. I may be old-fashioned but I think that is shocking, especially a man striking a woman."

Sullivan said Virginia did not fall to the ground and there was no cursing. I had a comment sent to me that I did not publish that included these exaggerated facts.

 Even though I have supported both Rex and Virginia, and Virginia is a friend, I kept my previous post and comments free of opinions. Supervisor Sullivan is a neutral party.

Apologizing to Virginia in a newspaper article or email does not make this kind of behavior okay. This kind of behavior is embarrassing publicly for Humboldt County, spinning the incident by some does not change what happened. I find the HCDCC silence on this very telling. There was no planned coup of the seat. Mark you may represent the third district but you are accountable to all of the citizens of Humboldt County.

Can the public damage to Humboldt's image be undone? As Rex said, the rest is between you and Virginia to handle.