Dear Editor,
I would like to respond to the recent “ramblings” of a city council member in the Great Bend Tribune on April 3, 2013. One sentence caught my eye early on that stated, “with my short experience on the council.” You’ve got that right!
The city council member that you “rant and raved” about has been elected by the people of the fourth ward. So I don’t think it’s up to you to say “He should go.” That is up to the voters!
I was at the convention center meeting and when the talk came up about building a new hotel, convention center and buying land to put it on, there was talk of 4 to 5 mills. I heard it! So I guess I am misleading the public also.
The council member you spoke about never said the new day-care wasn’t a good idea, in fact I believe he said it was a good idea, he just thought it should be put somewhere else because the residents that live there didn’t want it in their neighborhood. Your article was very misleading to the public in making it sound like the council member you spoke about didn’t want a 24-hour day care service. Lies!
Not so long ago at a council meeting when the tax for the new movie theater was talked about, the council member you spoke about ask a simple question. If I remember correctly, the question was something like, “will this tax affect the homeowners in the area?” And the man with all the morals, ethics and integrity sitting on the council rolled his eyes and made a chuckle to the council member to his left. It was like “how stupid can you be”? But the funny thing is, I was wondering the same thing. So I guess I’m pretty stupid also! Sometimes things aren’t explained very well and I thank God we have someone that will speak up and ask questions instead of acting like they know everything. Through the years, I have watched the council member you spoke about as he has been belittled with inappropriate gestures many times just for having a different opinion or for asking questions. Everyone seems to get along as long as he agrees with everyone.
I have been attending council meetings since May of 2006. It was this council member that continued to “hound” about putting all city projects out for a bidding process and getting the streets of this town fixed. I think the rest of them knew he wasn’t going shut-up about these things and change started to happen. The city now puts projects out for bids and the streets are getting fixed.
Everyone is entitled to an opinion. I don’t think just because you disagree with your fellow council members and Mayor on some issues that you are “negative or counterproductive” and that they should be able to question someone’s “honesty, integrity, accountability, morals and ethics.”
I would like to remind the two new council members that everyone has a right to “analyze the data” and make your own decision no matter if it is different than the Mayor and other council members. Please speak up and let your voices be heard even if it is not the same as everyone else!
Becky Wornkey
Great Bend