I’d like to respond to the recent letter from Rikki Swin about the Mount Dallas lawsuit. (See the Aug. 30 edition of the Journal.) Let me be clear that I was on the Mount Dallas Board for a short period of time last year, but I no longer hold any position on the board. Therefore, I represent no one’s views but my own.

In my brief time on the board, I saw a group of dedicated and focused individuals who were striving to do what’s right by the larger community. After all, the majority who own land on Mount Dallas have asked the Mount Dallas Association to do what they themselves aren’t interested in doing – myself included – and that’s manage the administrative complexity of maintaining a private road. For anyone living on Mount Dallas, they’ve seen the fruits of this selfless labor over many years. Even during endless lawsuit preparation, they never accepted this work as a burden – though all are volunteers – but a necessary investment in our long-term community.

I left the board because my strengths do not lend themselves to lawsuit preparation, but I still hold the upmost respect for the board. For this reason, I didn’t think they must also publically endure innuendos of misappropriations without a response.

I’m sure things in the past could have been done differently. In fact, before the lawsuit they were already putting in more checks and balances, surveying owners, asking for feedback and implementing more structure – that’s what progress looks like. Sure, the lawsuit has expedited this process further, to which they’ve, again, risen to the occasion. This should be commended, not condoned.

Therefore, I want to go on record and say how thankful I am for their service. And, I’m sorry they’re carrying so much water for the Mount Dallas community. I only hope the court can see through the desperate attempts to win at any cost and instead, rule in favor of doing the right thing for the larger community so we can get back to being a collaborative, loving, neighborly community.

Susan Crampton Davis

San Juan Island