Supervisor Dennis Rodoni has rebuffed a plea from Point Reyes Station residents who want him to stop recusing himself from votes on projects near a downtown property he co-owns.
Last month, frustrated residents wrote a letter to Mr. Rodoni and County Counsel Brian Washington, asking them to seek a blanket waiver from state ethics rules designed to prevent conflicts of interest. Otherwise, they argue, the town could be left without representation on some its most important issues.
“A waiver is the only viable legal pathway for restoring our community’s right to representation,” they wrote in a letter sent on May 1.
But in a statement sent to the Light last week, Mr. Rodoni stood by his decision. “Recusals are a regular part of responsible public service,” he said. “They’re in place to protect public trust and to keep our processes transparent and fair.”
At issue is a California Fair Political Practices Commission guideline that cautions public officials against voting on proposals that could impact the value of property they own within 500 feet of a potential development.
Mr. Rodoni said recusing himself was “a standard practice for any elected official to avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest.”
Last year, the supervisor recused himself from a vote on the renovation of the Point Reyes Gas Station, which included a full-scale convenience store vehemently opposed by the Point Reyes Station Village Association but unanimously approved by supervisors.
Earlier this month, he recused himself from a unanimous preliminary vote on the proposed purchase of the calf lot at Sixth and B Streets, where Marin County and the Community Land Trust Association of West Marin hope to locate emergency housing. Both projects are close to a Third Street property Mr. Rodoni co-owns with other members of his family. The gas station is just slightly within the 500-foot limit; the calf lot is about 100 feet beyond it.
The letter to Mr. Rodoni and Mr. Washington said the matter was urgent, given potential future projects at the former Station House Café, the Green Barn and elsewhere.
“Because Point Reyes Station is a very small town—its commercial core spans only three by five blocks—this recusal effectively applies to nearly every major project under discussion or consideration,” they wrote. “As a result, our community is functionally left without representation at the county level on key issues shaping its future.”
The letter was signed by five community members, including several officers of the village association. The association’s leaders have been divided on how hard to press Mr. Rodoni, with some arguing that they should accept his decision to recuse himself on a case-by-case basis.
In a June 5 reply, Mr. Washington wrote that recusal decisions should be made as they arise, and he argued that the other four county supervisors would consider proposals for Point Reyes Station fairly and fully.
Mr. Rodoni echoed those thoughts. “What’s important is that when a potential conflict arises, we follow the law, recuse when necessary, and ensure the public process stays fair, legal and above board,” he said.
Yet Pamela Bridges, who co-signed the letter, remains unsatisfied. She hopes Mr. Rodoni will participate in a community meeting to discuss the issue further. “So many community members are upset about this recusal issue,” she said. “I believe he owes the community an explanation.”