Editor’s note: This is the letter the author sent to Baker County Commissioners related to the Feb. 2 meeting.

In the Public Participation, Agenda Item 3, I engaged in voicing my opposition of Baker County government continued acquiescence in supporting the illegitimate Kate Brown masking rules. Case in point, the recently added (Jan. 2022) preamble to the monthly Commission Meeting Agenda Notice stating that everyone over the age of 5, must adhere to indoor masking when attending County government sponsored meetings. Be that as it may, that is not the subject I am addressing here.

During my public testimony, Commissioners Bennett, Harvey and I engaged in dialogue. All of us with a direct, strong held positions of disagreement, but respectful of each other’s Right of Free Speech and expressing, passionately, those opinions, with possibly raised voices to emphasize our points.

Unbeknownst to me at the time, Nichols got up to ask for court security personnel to come to the Commission Chamber, evidently wanting to shut down the robust discussion we were having. Hard to tell what Nichols’ reasoning was or is! Later when it was communicated to me, that action had occurred, and then during public discussion of the River Democracy Act (Wyden’s land lockup bill), I again stood to compliment the Commissioners’ unanimous opposition to the Rivers Act, and I confronted Nichols in asking if he specifically had called for the security detail. He sheepishly admitted that yes he had.

To say that I was shocked, appalled, offended and flabbergasted at such outrageous and scurrilous attempt to intimidate the free exchange of opposing positions, is most definitely an understatement! Neither of the other two commissioners, nor anyone else in the Chambers, felt ANY threat of any kind. It is still hard for me to imagine that this actually occurred. In my 30-plus years of active political engagement, federal, state, and local government level, I have never been so shamefully treated. All who know me would never imagine that I would ever harbor any thought of physically harming anyone. This was an attempt by Nichols to besmirch my character, no matter how he tries to squirm out of it. He was completely out of line, unbelievably classless!

I am expecting a full and public apology from Bruce Nichols, plus an affirmation of public participation in free and open discussions when conflicting opinions on issues arise, especially when public participation is encouraged. Isn’t that the American patriotic way?

I would also offer that if Nichols is overwhelmed and alarmed with the passionate expression of free speech, that he should contemplate resigning as commissioner to a safer environment, free of conflicting opinions?

Curtis W. Martin

North Powder