Frontiersman editorial is out of line

Your editorial on Jan. 10 (headlined: “Mayor’s actions are out of line”) begs a response. You take me to the woodshed over two letters. I do not normally take the time to respond to political chatter, but when it involves incomplete information on the level of an editorial from professionals who should be airing all the facts, then I will jump in the mud.

Your first mistake was in believing the former assembly member’s misquote of my letter rather than studying the letter itself, which pertained to House Bill 77. I stated: “The goals of House Bill 77 are laudable.” The assembly member conveniently left out the word “goals.”

The goals of HB 77 are to streamline the permitting process in this state. I did not endorse HB 77 in all its particulars. Neither did the Fish and Wildlife Board’s letter “oppose” the bill in its entirety, which you suggest.

I abide by my contention that our positions were not that far apart. The information that was missing to the governor in the chain of events was the fact that the assembly had twice elected to not support legislation to oppose HB 77. That may not be significant to you, but I considered it important for our ultimate policymakers to understand.

You then take up the cause and position of a minority assemblyperson’s gripes about redistricting. If you had done your homework, you would have known that the borough staff had submitted a plan to the redistricting board that curiously mirrored the Democrats’ map. That had no endorsement from the assembly, before or after.

Twice on the public record in assembly meetings I asked for input on changes to the old map, specifically as they relate to impacts on our current legislative delegation to Juneau. There was silence, twice.

You evidently would take that to be a mandate for me to do nothing.

“No comment” by the assembly does not translate logically into “no interest.” Total passivity would have sent the message that the redistricting board could do anything it wants with our boundaries — not a position the assembly intended at all.

The message that I took to the board — both by letter and in personal testimony — was that we were happy with our legislative delegation, and while the dynamic process of moving boundaries to comply with the law may cause some minor incremental changes, we did not want to see the rug pulled out from under any of our delegation.

That suited the majority of my assembly. In fact, they amended a motion of censure to actually endorse my position. It obviously did not please the minority.

I do not remember defending my actions because they were done at home. That was only because I was asked my opinion in the middle of the night.

The public record will show that I acknowledged that I should not have forgotten to forward that letter to the clerk, and in that regard I thanked former Assembly Member Keogh for bringing it to our attention.

As titular head of this borough, my style is to be maximally involved with sensitivity to the majority of the assembly and the “best interests” of the borough. You and other critics play on the word “ceremonial” (from the borough code pertaining to some of my functions) as if to suggest that the mayor should be ornamental. I will gladly preside over ceremonies, but an inert ornament I will never be.

Code does not disallow me from attending meetings, public and private, all over this borough in a variety of venues, and that is where you find me. Code does not disallow me meeting with investors or promoting developers to develop the economy of these valleys — so I do. I am not required to meet at 7 a.m. to daily debrief with the borough manager, but I do.

I do not intend to go beyond the bounds of the law, but I do plan to maximally and energetically use my voice and my influence for the good of this borough. I am quite aware that I am breaking with a long tradition.

If you want a mayor who is willing to do the minimum allowed by code, then you got the wrong person when you elected Larry DeVilbiss. I do not claim immunity from infractions, but next time you have a question, pick up the phone and give me a call. I am glad to be accountable, day or night.

Larry DeVilbiss has been borough mayor since January 2011.