Appreciating Cooke’s service to the city

What was said in Susan St. Clair’s letter (“Article exposes Cooke and her obligation to pay up,” Kent Reporter, May 30) is exactly the reason why, after one year of living in a condo, I sold and moved out.

At the time, I observed it was clear the homeowner association would, in very short time, have the development involved in litigation that would prevent anyone from selling. And sure enough, shortly after we sold and moved out, the association managed to do just that.

Susan’s letter of public reprimand about (Mayor) Suzette (Cooke) reminded me of those days, and how glad we were to have gotten out of there, in time and unscathed.

Because of the way Suzette has been portrayed in the Reporter by St. Clair, I have to write in disagreement of Susan’s assessment. Suzette has been a remarkable leader in Kent.

There is not many of her policies that I see as having been detrimental to this town I enjoy living in. She is an asset.

To support my thinking, I must share that I have seen with my own eyes during this down time in our economy Suzette outside with a paint brush and a can of paint, painting our downtown benches. There was not a photo shoot going on, nor were there reporters present – only Suzette and Suzanne Cameron, of Around the Clock, painting away. This is not the actions of anyone inconsiderate or of anyone who is a dead beat.

So, although it may be true that exposure of her remiss is not altogether bad for us to know, I do believe that St. Clair’s letter went too far, which indicates a grinding of an ax, or perhaps she is only jumping on the chance to exert her power to make Suzette look in the public’s eye to be less than she is. I am aware this is the way some homeowner associations like to operate.

I would like to take this time to openly thank Suzette for her service to the city of Kent. I and many others are most appreciative.

– Judy Lee