A condition is a state of existence. Everything is in one condition or another. The ethics conditions identify these states and provides formulas — exact steps which one can use to move from one condition to another higher and more survival condition.

The conditions, ranged from the highest to the lowest, are: Power (a statistic in a new steeply higher range, now on a Normal trend), Power Change (a person taking over a job from another person); Affluence (an abundance of something - production, money, resources, etc.); Normal (a statistical increase, however slight); Emergency (an unchanging statistic or one that is slightly down); Danger (statistics show continuing Emergency or a downward fall and if someone is bypassed and the job they should be doing has to be done by another); Non-Existence (a statistic showing a steep, near vertical fall or when a person begins a job by appointment, promotion or demotion).

When a person or group is no longer just a zero (non-existent) but have become actively detrimental to the survival and progress of others (they cause problems at work, at home or in society) they are in the conditions below Non-Existence, which, in descending order, are: Liability (when a person has been assigned several Dangers or Non-Existences or a long unchanged pattern of conduct had been detected); Doubt (When one can’t make up one’s mind about an individual, a group, organization or project); Enemy (When a person is an avowed and knowing enemy of an individual, a group, organization or project); Treason (betrayal after trust - a person accepts a job or position and doesn’t function as it); Confusion (the person or area is in a state of random motion; no real production, only disorder or confusion).

Commissioner Lent asked for and received the trust of the people that voted for her by presenting herself as a person that would function as a county commissioner that believes in less government intrusion in people’s lives and would act in a conservative manner in the areas of land use, taxes and fees. She accepted that position when the people voted for her.

The condition of Treason is defined as betrayal after trust. Commissioner Lent has betrayed the people that voted for her through her vote to increase impact fees. She is now in a condition of Treason with the people that voted her into office. Until she applies the formula for Treason and works her way back up the conditions we cannot trust her in any way except to expect further betrayal.

Commissioner Endresen’s statement that the public hearing on impact fees would not have been held if there had not been two votes in favor of the fee increase tells me that Commissioner Endresen and Commissioner Lent had a meeting where they discussed the impact fees and agreed to vote for the fee increase. Was this a legal meeting? If not, does it not mean that any legislative taken as a result of that illegal meeting is also illegal?

Max Ashton
Poulsbo