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I have just read Mike Ramsey’s informative article about recognition which he has received for his successful on-line marketing business, and I found myself reading about an issue which I had addressed in a letter to the editor of the Mini-Cassia edition of the Times News last September – a case of “déjà vu” so to speak. Mike felt there was bias in a decision by a local editor not to publicize the success of Nifty Marketing. My letter described a conflict of interest which existed then, and still does, as exhibited in the journalistic ethics (or lack of them) as demonstrated by a local newspaper publisher, Mr. Jay Lenkersdorfer. The conflict occurs between City Councilman Lenkersdorfer’s political stance and that of his ethical position as the publisher of The Weekly News Journal and of the Weekly Mailer which are widely circulated in our area.

This Councilman/Editor violates one of the most basic tenets of the American Society of Professional Journalists – to avoid associations which compromise journalistic integrity, especially those which would create a conflict of interest. A second and equally important tenet states that all published materials must have verifiable sources – one which is ignored in the publication of unsigned letters. Both of these ethical mandates have an intrinsic accountability written into them. When a publication becomes a political sounding board for the politician who publishes it, accountability has become a chimera – an illusion.

In a recent editorial, Mr. Lenkersdorfer questioned whether he was indeed a politician, by general definition, or by his own definition, a concerned advocate for the citizens of Burley. His conclusion stated that he is indeed both, and that would be commendable if he would eradicate the conflict of interest presented by this politician/citizen-advocate stance.

Mr. Lenkersdorfer can fill both roles, but he must do so ethically, or his protestations of advocacy fall on deaf ears. For example, one of the most adverse public reactions to the use of a news publication – and I am not referring to “op-ed” writing here – was the publication in the Journal (9/15/09) of the salaries earned by public employees in the Mini-Cassia area. Granted, these salaries are listed as “public record” but the listing of them must be accurate. This was not the case – the listing was described by many as not accurate, nor did it differentiate between “net” and “gross” income. These people all had the same deductions all honest wage earners relinquish – taxes, social security, health insurance, etc. None of these were accurately defined.

I’m sure that Mr. Lenkersdorfer felt justified in publishing this list, but the reason for that justification escapes most of us – so, what’s the point? A power play is not a tidy little capsule which most of us can swallow, and the community did not swallow this one very well. Lenkersdorfer has two choices, as I see it. He can either excuse himself from his position on the Burley City Council, or he can relinquish his position as editor of the news publication while occupying his political role. He can be effective as a citizen advocate in either position – but not in both. The conflict of interest issue is not resolved by filling both roles. Burley deserves better for the next 100 years.

Sarah M. Blasius