MALT’s easement practices raise questions

A recent article in the Marin IJ on Marin Agricultural Land Trust’s suit to keep Marin County from providing public documents to Kenneth Slayen regarding MALT’s conservation easement practices leaves many questions unanswered (“Marin farmland trust sues county to block document release,” Sept. 8).

Having read Slayen’s complaint to the county, we feel there’s ample evidence that MALT board members violated conflict of interest and reporting laws by selling easements to MALT. In fact, a close look at county records show that MALT has purchased three dozen easements from board members or their immediate families. Our research, recently published on a North Bay news website, shows that some ranching families have collected over $5 million in payments, one over $7 million.

Why did the county demand the return of allMeasure A grant money instead of just its share of the difference between the two Dolcini-Beltrametti Ranch easement appraisals MALT belatedly admitted to? And why reveal the undisclosed appraisal now? Because they’ll be applying for land trust recertification next year?

Isn’t the timing of the departure of MALT’s top two officers odd, if not suspicious? Also odd is the timing of the unprecedented press release attempting to smear Slayen. If their process is above board, why fight releasing documentation?

After all, it’s public tax monies and the county is overseeing the process, right? In fact, it seems that Marin County Parks has never asked for any substantial amendments to an easement request, always recommends county supervisors approve them and the supervisors have never rejected one. Is this why theMALT board always includes a sitting supervisor?

MALT is a big promoter of beef and dairy ranches in the Point Reyes National Seashore. Ranches do immeasurable harm to the park, despite claims of environmental stewardship. It’s long past time for them to leave, as agreed to several decades ago. MALT must stop acting as a slush fund for the ranching families. For in promoting destructive practices, MALT loses its credibility for any legitimate work.

— Matt Maguire,

Petaluma, and Dr. Marty Griffin, Tiburon