(The following is an excerpt from a letter to attorney Sharon Duggan)
February 2, 1993
To: Sharon E. Duggan, Esq., . . .
Before concluding, I have also been asked to raise the unfortunate matter of the damage done to Department property during your document inspection in the Department's offices on January 22, 1993. According to Department staff, the conference room where you were allowed unsupervised access to the requested records contained a "dry erase" notice board, approximately 3' x 5' in size, used for meetings and presentations. After your departure an extensive written message and drawing was left on the message board by you, apparently for the staff's edification.
While the Department is always interested in your views on correct environmental attitudes, this particular effort had some unhappy side effects. That is, although most of your message had the twin virtues of being both inoffensive and easily erased, the same cannot be said for the large green graffiti-like blob left in the center of the notice board. (Staff consensus is that it was intended to be a tree.) Because the author of this artistic effort inadvisably used a type of green marker not intended for this kind of board surface, the green blob in question cannot now be erased in the normal manner, and in fact appears to be somewhat permanent. (Please see the attached memo of Deputy Director Ken Delfino.)
While the Department has no desire to add censorship or the suppression of art to the long list of grievances you already hold against it, you can no doubt understand the staff's unhappiness at your destruction of Department property while you were being treated as a trusted visitor. Fortunately, given your often expressed views on environmental responsibility, we do not doubt that you will be prompt in accepting your responsibility for this bit of environmental damage inflicted on the Department.
Accordingly, I have been asked to inform you that the price paid by the Department for the now defaced notice board was $120. (It is not clear whether this includes sales tax. Pending clarification of that point the Department is prepared to waive any additional amount.) Please forward a check for that amount, payable to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, to the office of Deputy Director Ken Delfino at your earliest convenience. Should you desire the present defaced notice board for your own future use, that can be shipped to you at your request. Related shipping costs, of course, would have to charged in addition to the $120 replacement amount.
Thank you for your courtesy and cooperation, and for your anticipated prompt reimbursement to the Department of Forestry.
Sincerely,
Daniel E. Lungren
Attorney General
and
John Davidson
Deputy Attorney General
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 2004
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited