SEQUIM — Martin Luther King Jr. was a great human being who earned an honorable place in history and deserves the respect accorded him, the Sequim City Council affirmed Monday night.
That does not necessarily mean that city employees will get a holiday when the civil rights leader’s birthday is celebrated in the future.
Unlike city halls, courthouses, schools and other government offices and agencies in Clallam and Jefferson counties, the city of Sequim was open for business Jan. 17, the King holiday.
City leaders took some heat for it from the community after a commentary piece was published in the PDN on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Mayor Walt Schubert criticized the criticism at Monday night’s City Council meeting.
“I would suggest that being open was not ‘ignoring Martin Luther King Jr. Day,’ as was stated in a commentary,” he said.
“And the city, City Council and mayor have never said, ‘This day was not important,’ as was written in a recent letter to the editor.
“To jump to these conclusions is illogical and faulty thinking.”
‘More meaningful ways’
He also said that there are “more meaningful ways” than closing City Hall to honor King’s legacy, such as speaking out against prejudice, helping the less fortunate, living meaningful lives and practicing nonviolence.
The city negotiates paid holidays during contract talks with Teamsters Local No. 589, which represents city employees.
City Manager Bill Elliott represents the city in those talks; the council is not directly involved.
It should stay that way, too, council members agreed Monday, nodding their heads when Schubert asked for a “consensus that this is an administrative issue.”
