Is our long nightmare over? Will people in Bellevue finally be able to wake up in the morning and NOT feel that they’ve been transported to Seattle and that city council’s endless conflicts over – well, just about everything?

The answer is “yes” if the Bellevue City Council has finally ended its bitter — and time wasting — debate over who does or who does not have a conflict of interest over the light rail route. To be honest, we don’t know why someone didn’t suggest adding everyone on the council to the list.

Yes, a conflict of interest is a serious allegation. Left unchecked it can undermine the faith residents have in their elected officials. And the investigator hired by the council may turn up a conflict.

That will be unfortunate. But so, to, is the length of time devoted to this, and the bitterness that eaten away the trust that council members have had in one another.

That’s not insurmountable. Maybe the cure is as simple as the council issuing a few innocuous resolutions that everyone can agree on. But, please, stay away from such topics as transportation, neighborhoods, growth, LIDs, traffic …….