I couldn't believe a quote I read in the Kitsap Sun on August 4, 2007. Steve Gardner quoted Mary Ann Huntington as saying: "Once Bremerton prospers, we all prosper. If it turns out that I have been made the sacrificial lamb in this by some constituents, then so be it, but I know in my heart that I've done the right thing."
True, I'm all for a prosperous Bremerton, but it's not going to come on Mary Ann's shoulders and for crying out loud, the last time I heard anyone use the word 'sacrifice' in a personal context it was my ex-wife. I can tell you why Mary Ann Huntington is bad for Bremerton and in our household, we use a different consonant to start her last name ...
I first made acquaintance with Mary Ann Huntington in the Port Orchard Chamber of Commerce, a "Good Ole' Girls" club that after one year, I couldn't stand to be around. I'm sure things have changed since then but we're going back to the turn of the century here. I remember handing Mary Ann my check for several hundreds of dollars, and that's about the last warm fuzzy I got out of that Chamber.
Fast forward about six or seven years. I was asked to chair the 2007 Relay for Life in South Kitsap, and reluctantly accepted. I knew I would be a lame duck - I had no Relay experience, I was in a new job and didn't have a lot of time to commit to it, and I didn't know the personalities I would be dealing with. But against my better judgement, I accepted the task. I have a long and successful track record with chairing committees so this would be a new adventure.
As I got into it, I soon identified a number of issues, and set about a "two year plan" to make some changes that I felt were necessary to bring the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of South Kitsap to its proper level. However, to make a long story short, some on the committee disagreed, the main person being Mary Ann Huntington. Mary Ann, you see, sent me an email saying: "Why are you trying to change the most successful Relay on the Kitsap Peninsula?"
Mary Ann, if you think that anything on the surface of this planet has evolved to such a level that it would not benefit from change, you are misguided. Anything can be improved - everything can be improved. I've had Director-level jobs and experience at the top level of numerous committees - leaving "well enough alone" is a sign of laziness. On a political level, it scares me to think that with this type of egotistic mindset, you wish to continue your brand of leadership with the Port and your utter disregard for the priorities of the taxpayers.
To the voter: If you want more of the same, vote for Mary Ann. However, if you're fed up with "stupid is as stupid does," vote Huntington out of office. Do it now.
