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Little Towns, Little Minds

In September of 2014, I was driving along the Maple Valley Hwy in Maple Valley, WA. An uncovered gravel truck sped by me (speeding) and a rock left the bed and cracked my windshield. I drove up to the truck and took a photo which had the name of the company, the city of origin and a phone number. I called the number to leave a message. Two months later, I receive a phone call from the owner of the truck, his "ex-domestic partner" who gives me his insurance information. She said that she gave him the message but he crumpled it up and through it into the trash saying, "He'll have to prove it." Then this woman begins to tell him about his anger and drinking issues and how he has been let of several DUIs and ran over a service box which left the town without phone service for two days. The DUI issue really bothered me; she said he was "good friends with the chief of police" so he gets to skate. Was the town aware of these issues? So sent an email to the mayor of Ashland and to its council members:

Dear Mayor Stromberg, After an uncovered gravel truck cracked my car's windshield along the Maple Valley Hwy in September, I made a note of the company, it's city of origin and phone number. It turned out to be a one-truck operation owned by a Gerald Iverson in Ashland. I called and left a message. Just today, I received a phone message back from Mr. Iverson's ex-girlfriend who told me (including insurance information) that, according to her, Mr. Iverson has been let off of several DUI crimes because he knows the chief of police of Ashland. She also told me that Mr. Iverson ran over a service box with his truck, cutting phone service for the town for two days---among other property destruction. I would like to know why Mr. Iverson has been allowed to drive under the influence and commit property fraud in your community without any penalties? Or is that "just the way things are done" in Ashland?

Within minutes, I receive a reply from a council member, Dennis Slattery:

Seriously Mr. Flack. Are you in the habit of taking the word of "a girlfriend" you do not know and of someone you do not know? And then turn around and ask a question as abrasive and insulting as this one is? No, we do not do business in this manner, perhaps it is the experience you have in whatever county you live in but I assure you we do not. Our Police Chief has served our community in a very honorable manner, and is in fact nationally recognized for his work. Perhaps you better move would be to pursue this through the legal channels available to you. Much better than wasting our time and yours with such dribble.

Maybe I shouldn't have been so harse in my last sentence, but the councilman totally avoids my question. Let's see if anyone else replies.

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