If you do not get The Seattle Times you missed the front page article “big land deal, big questions by Jim Bruinner and Lauren Vane.”  It is about a land deal in Maple Valley (called the Donut Hole deal) that has been conducted by King County Executive Ron Sims and a single developer, YarrowBay Group of Kirkland, (without it being offered for bids).  It was brokered by lobbyist Martin Durkan Jr. 

“The deal would benefit two of Durkan's business partners. He represents YarrowBay, which would get the Donut Hole without competition. Another longtime client, Palmer Coking Coal, owns the Icy Creek forest land the county would buy.”  The way the deal has been handled is being criticized and some Maple Valley leaders are not sure the deal is good for Maple Valley.  

I find it interesting where the article said:  “YarrowBay and its executives and contractors, including Durkan, have given more than $40,000 to the campaigns of Sims and King County Council members since 2002, according to the state Public Disclosure Commission.  The largest share — $11,000 — has gone to Sims. YarrowBay also hosted a fundraiser at its Kirkland offices for Sims in late 2005, just a few months before launching the Donut Hole deal.” 

The story is long and the picture gets murkier as it goes along.  I was wondering if this lobbyist is also a real estate agent—if so, it sounds to me as if he has been highly unethical.  I especially liked the following: “County officials have worked diligently with YarrowBay to carry out Sims' instructions.  In July 2006, the county signed a letter of intent with YarrowBay, promising "good faith" negotiations. Company executives helped draft the arguments Sims' aides used to justify the no-bid deal to the County Council. YarrowBay has paid the county more than $270,000 for staff time spent on the project. The talks with YarrowBay kept going even after one of the original justifications for a no-bid deal collapsed.”

There is another related short story entitled "Maple Valley officials fear burst of growth" written by the same writers with contributions made from David Turim.

It just seems to me that there is something wrong with this picture! 

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