Stober not qualified for council

Bailey Stober’s entire resume is at best an embellishment. He has held at best three or four positions in the past three years of no note or responsibility worthy of consideration to qualify to hold any position on the Kent City Council.

He touts abilities that are not proven out in any body of work, blows out of proportion past jobs and imagined accomplishments that are not traceable or able to be proven.

You can find his name synonymous in the dictionary with the word “sinecure,” as someone who “aspires to an office or position requiring little or no work, especially one yielding profitable returns.” You will find Mr. Stober currently enjoying such a position in the office of African American Affairs for the State of Washington, a position of political convenience and payoff for previous work on the campaign for the current executive director and city councilman from Renton, Edward Prince.

This is what Mr. Stober’s bio says on The Commission on African American Affairs website:

“Bailey Stober has an extensive background in policy and public relations. Before his appointment to the Commission, Bailey served as a Community & External Affairs Director in the healthcare sector. In that capacity he represented healthcare interests to community groups, elected officials and stakeholders.

In previous roles he has worked with a wide range of elected officials on public policy and legislative initiatives both locally and statewide.

In addition to public policy his professional background includes experience in Corporate Loss Prevention & Investigations. He has worked with law enforcement agencies and prosecutors on internal investigations, organized retail crime investigations and complex fraud cases. He is a member of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners as well as holds an advanced certificate in the Reid Institute’s Interview and Interrogation technique. Bailey studied at Green River Community College where he majored in Political Science with a minor in Economics. He is currently finishing his B.S. degree in Criminal Justice Administration with an emphasis in Management.”

This entire bio is full of holes and embellishment. Take a look at the entire Commission on African American Affairs website (www.caa.wa.gov/index.shtml). For all the time he has been there, the budget has not been updated since 2007, parts of the schedule and planning somewhere in 2007 as well, even though the plan is for 2007-2009. That entire website denotes an utter lack of attention and effort. It is an empty shell.

The only up-to-date portion of this entire website is the Calendar and the Resume of the executive director and the executive assistant.

Let us take a look at the most important item on this website (www.caa.wa.gov/about/Budget.shtml), the most current posted budget from 2007. It lists 59 percent of $242,000 as salary for the two staff members.

This is an appointed position by the governor, according to the website. It does not look like the governor or the state is getting much that at least is visible to the naked eye. I would like to know the current budget for this office.

This office could easily suffice on the backs of the current volunteer board members without the office, the staff, and the administrative expenses, and still have the ear of the governor at no taxpayer expense.

Stober is not qualified for any office that directs the funds of the taxpayer to their use in any civil government setting, whether elected or appointed. After a year on the job in his current capacity, he has proven that doing nothing so far is profitable.

– Craig Dougherty