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Opinion Letters Letters to the Editor for June 12, 2009
Letters to the Editor for June 12, 2009
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Four councilors should resign To the editor: I am deeply grieved and concerned regarding the firing of City Manager Steve Brocato by four City Council members who apparently met sometime before the June 9 meeting and agreed to fire Mr. Brocato. Does not state law require all council decisions to be made in an open public meeting by all council members? What kind of secret club do these four council members have? Yet, Aletha Bonebrake, Clair Button, Beverly Calder and Dennis Dorrah denied meeting for the purpose of firing Brocato before the scheduled meeting of June 9. They likely have violated the Oregon Open Meeting law as reported by councilman Milo Pope. It is very obvious these four council members have not thought of all the ramifications of their decision. Thousands of dollars of taxpayers’ money will be spent on the hiring of a new city manager. Our city will experience irreversible damage to come because four council members have an ax to grind and some petty excuses concerning Mr. Brocato’s management style. Mr. Brocato has led this Council and the previous Council into making good improvements for the betterment of Baker City. The headlines of the Baker City Herald of May 28 quotes, “Brocato gets high marks on evaluation.” What has transpired in 14 days to change the three council members, Bonebrake, Button and Dorrah? (Calder gave Mr. Brocato a low score.) Mayor Dennis Dorrah called for the vote of firing Mr. Brocato before any citizens’ views were heard. As a matter of public record, all seven city council members ran on a platform of increased citizen awareness and participation. Obviously Mayor Dorrah violated this council promise. We have sufficient problems in our lives today without adding more by an all-advised decision by the “ax-to-grind” quartet. It was discussed at the June 9 meeting about having “guts to do what is right for the city of Baker.” Council members Bonebrake, Button, Calder and Mayor Dorrah: Resign before further damage is done to Baker City. Robert Stanton Baker City
To the editor: I have worked for the city for over three years now and have sat back and quietly watched the politics going on. I sat back because quite honestly most of the issues people were fighting about were unimportant or foolish. I watched a few of our councilors show how crazy and odd they were and had a good laugh as has most of the community. After Tuesday’s City Council meeting I cannot sit back and laugh any longer though. The City should be completely embarrassed by our representation. The decision of four councilors to fire a city manager who by their own admission and ratings has done a great job is not a funny matter. Their cowardly decision to secretively bring this up at the last minute, not provide any valid reasons to dismiss Mr. Brocato, ignore what the public has to say is going to cost this city tens of thousands of dollars. Why? Well because they couldn’t get along with Mr. Brocato, but it didn’t make any difference to them that the 75 paid employees that work for the city and 20+ volunteers all get along with Mr. Brocato just fine and work with him day in and day out. These four people personally have a lot to gain by getting rid of Mr. Brocato (personal vendettas, their own poor property maintenance). As a city we are losing a great leader who has managed this city well, and tons of money we should not be spending on a search for a new city manager. The councilors represent us the citizens, not their own personal interests. Correct? If that is the case please take the time to sign the list to recall Mayor Dorrah, Councilor Calder, Councilor Button and Councilor Bonebrake. Baker City cannot afford to have crooked politicians ruin our great community. Tyra Ruberti Baker City
To the editor: Bravo! Thank you, Dennis, Aletha, Clair and Bev for a job well done! It’s nice to see that government of the people, by the people and for the people still reigns supreme. Yes, “FOR” the people, not just a select few. We support your decision. Buck and Linda Cutting Baker City
To the editor: I, for one, am glad to see that the city council had the intestinal fortitude to relieve Mr. Brocato of his duties. It was a very tough decision on their part. When you have a person who refuses to be a team player and play by the rules they have to be kicked off of the team. I have seen at some of the meetings in the past the underhanded and snide comments that have been made and when the victim had asked the former mayor to step in and correct the matter the request was ignored. It has now come to my attention that Mr. Brocato was stirring the sulfurous caldron behind the scenes. We need thoughtful people on our city council to make decisions that affect our fair city. Too long our city council was run by childish actions and petty behavior. If certain people had stepped up and put a dunce cap on the perpetrator and stuck them in the corner maybe more adult matters would have been taken care of. Thank you Mayor Dorrah, Aletha Bonebrake, Clair Button, and Beverly Calder for not belonging to the “good ole boys” network. We as citizens of Baker City need you. As for Mr. Pope, Mr Bass, and Mr Bryan — you were voted in and you can be voted out. Our city does not need petty children running it. Nuf said! Lorelei Nalley Baker City
To the editor: Mayor Dennis Dorrah and councilors Beverly Calder, Clair Button and Aletha Bonebrake: All I can say is shame on you! Angie McVay Baker City
To the editor: It is rare that I attend City Council meetings; however, it was brought to the attention of my husband, a Baker City employee, that City Manager Steve Brocato was at risk of being removed from his position. We entered crowded chambers where many were afforded standing room only. Following commencement by Mayor Dorrah, Councilor Button submitted a request for City Manager Brocato to be fired. Following this, Councilor Pope spoke candidly about meetings that took place without full Council consent, then proceeded to cite text from the ORS and informed Councilors Calder, Button and Bonebrake and Mayor Dorrah that in addition to suing them for violations of various statutes, he would turn them into the ethics committee if they proceeded with the decision to have Brocato removed. At this point, the room erupted in applause. Mayor Dorrah became visibly upset, rose from his seat and walked forward to Chief Lohner, advising him that if there was another “outburst” in the room, it would be cleared. Councilors Bryan and Bass then spoke of their support for Manager Brocato, citing many of his accomplishments including being a key player in obtaining a new building for our Police Department. When the time came for input from citizens, Mayor Dorrah declined the many requests. After elevated tempers and a brief recess, citizens were allowed to speak and the support of City Manager Brocato was overwhelming. This did not make a difference in the end. One of our Councilors reported that Manager Brocato “works for our pleasure.” I was shocked and appalled that our elected officials refuse to behave in a professional manner by imparting their biased opinions. I at no point heard any reason, aside from personality conflicts, why City Manager Brocato should be removed. Please join me, voters of Baker County, in reminding Mayor Dorrah and Councilors Calder, Button and Bonebrake that they, too, work for our pleasure by signing a petition to recall these poorly chosen representatives who allegedly participate in illegal activities, refuse to listen to our input and make decisions based solely on their emotions. Brandi Harris Baker City
To the editor: I attended the city council meeting on Tuesday, and was appalled and disgusted. The council stonewalled the public while announcing they were going to fire Mr. Brocato. No reasons were given other than what I could gather as “lack of information” and personality conflicts. They refused to hear public comment until screams of “recall” went through the chambers. Some of these councilors ran for election on the premise that the public would be heard. I would think the overwhelming support of Brocato’s employees at Tuesday’s meeting would be some testament to his managerial style. I have been in a leadership position in the military for many years, and learned the hard way that you don’t get the kind of support Mr. Brocato had by being the person that these four councilors would have the public believe Mr. Brocato is. I would guess that over half of the city employees showed up to support Mr. Brocato and show the councilors that he was doing great by them. Yet, every employee who was allowed to comment was met with intimidating looks and frowns. Even with the overwhelming support of the employees, of which one of the councilors commented she had the utmost respect for, and called them “stellar employees,” the four councilors chose to cut the head off this city staff. You don’t do this if you truly care for your “stellar” employees. I cannot believe personal agendas have become so prevalent in our council. As a citizen of this city, I cannot believe that the four councilors did not heed the warning of Councilor Pope. He vowed to sue if they went through with this vote. I believe it is long overdue to hold these councilors responsible for their actions, I support Councilor Pope’s comments, and I hope he makes good on his promise. I cannot begin to understand how these four councilors think they have made a decision that will take this city forward. The City Manager may serve at the pleasure of the council, but the council seems to forget they serve at the pleasure of the voters. Wayne Chastain Baker City
Council should listen to citizens To the editor: I attended the council meeting on Tuesday evening and I am not a city employee. Late Tuesday afternoon I heard of the council’s request for Steve Brocato to resign and was caught off guard. After all, it was only two weeks ago he was given an excellent evaluation. As a taxpaying and voting citizen of this city I thought that this was a great council meeting to attend as my first. I was appalled by our elected city council. The unprofessional and shameful conduct of our local council was insulting; I now understand why Baker City is the laughingstock of the state when it comes to politics. We have our great mayor and three contributing council members to thank for this. Our mayor had NO emotional control; his anger was evident throughout the meeting and increased with each request for the public to speak. I was astounded when he first denied the public’s input, and that he didn’t accept public testimony until after the council had voted. How dare this council make such a drastic decision without hearing from the very population that voted them in! I know that the meeting was not broadcast on our local channel 3 because of technical problems, however I encourage every citizen of Baker City to watch the videotape, or at least listen to the tapes. Your eyes and ears will burn when you hear our Mayor and see his outlandish behavior. The city is going to be broadcasting the meeting soon, keep checking the local paper for the date and time. I encourage everyone who can DVR the meeting to do so and share it with others. The good citizens of Baker City need to rally together and let our council know that this type of rogue behavior is unacceptable! Dena Karger-Westfall Baker City
To the editor: Democracy has prevailed. The four duly elected city councilors who voted to discharge the city manager are well-respected, honorable, concerned citizens of this community. The talk of a lawsuit or a recall of them is totally appalling and unacceptable.
John and Frances Burgess Baker City
To the editor: I have been following your recent coverage of the City Council and the property rules. I was dismayed to learn that Councilor Pope feels that listening to citizens is a waste of time. Imagine that, in a democracy, listening to the citizens is a waste of time! After reflecting on your coverage, it occurred to me that perhaps the next step is for the city to include property standards inside the house as well as outside. Think of the possibilities, the new ordinance could greatly improve public health and safety by including sections on dusting, washing windows, mopping and waxing floors, scrubbing toilets, laundry, and some standard for determining the acceptable height of dirty dishes in the kitchen sink. While most of the residents of Baker City did NOT elect to buy homes in a gated community with the attendant property covenants, it seems to me the city is making a valiant attempt to overcome that oversight. Is this really our biggest problem in Baker City today? Richard Nase Baker City
To the editor: When is enough enough? We as a city have tolerated years of wasted time and dollars because of the incapability and lack of understanding from our poorly elected council. Now we are suffering the loss of the only leader that this city has seen in the years that I have lived in Baker City. Does Steve Brocato have shortcomings? Absolutely, we all do. However, he has done a fine job managing our City and has the full support of his staff. How many managers can say they feel supported? How lucky we were to have such a strong team working for our City! How dare our mayor and three foolish council members make such a hasty and lethal decision. I say recall! If in one day’s time our council can remove our city manager, it cannot take much more than that to remove a mayor and three incompetent and unqualified council members. Tracy Yanssens Baker City
To the editor: Concerning the controversial Gay-Straight Alliance Club at Baker High School: who’s to judge whether the practice of homosexuality is worthy of public approval or not? And for that matter, who’s to judge if any behavior or tendency/desire is? What if someone vents their feelings of anger by abusing animals? Or shooting fellow students? Should we have a club for them, too, to help them feel accepted by others? We should love them, but no, we shouldn’t have to tolerate their behavior. Well, being gay doesn’t hurt anyone, you say. No? What about the spread of AIDS? The higher incidence of suicide? And sexual abuse? And why are former gays so passionate about helping those trapped in the gay lifestyle to break free? Ask them if being gay doesn’t hurt anyone. They’ll give you an earful if you’re willing to listen (try www.exodus-international.org). Shouldn’t we be helping each other to not act on our destructive tendencies instead of accepting any and all excuses to fall victim to them? I know and love many who have chosen a gay lifestyle. My heart aches because of their choices. I do not agree with their lifestyle. For me to pretend it’s OK would be irresponsible and dishonest on my part. I will not be party to their destruction. Because I love them, I wish to see them spared of that. I care enough to confront if given a chance. For this I risk being called intolerant and judgmental by those who judge me and don’t tolerate my behavior. Who’s to judge? What’s the standard? Mary Andersen Baker City
To the editor: Good for you, Baker City Council. Brocato needed to go. I believe you have taken a responsible step in the governance of Baker City. I hereby publicly request that Jennifer Watkins make available a complete copy of the e-mails that were exchanged when Brocato got here and I wanted to see a copy of his application. It turned out that Mr. Brocato never filled out an application. He did not sign any document that said what he said was true. They didn’t have enough information about him to even do a background check. The resume he did give was unsigned. We had a multiple e-mail exchange, and my ultimate conclusion was that the hiring of Brocato was the poorest example of hiring that I had ever seen. So, Jennifer Watkins, please make available to those interested the entire group of e-mails. That was a very impressive group of city employees who are giving such solid support to Brocato. Jennifer, would you please let us know what each of those supporting employees were making before Brocato got here and what they are presently making. I seem to recall that some whopping raises were passed out. Good job, Baker City Council. Richard Harris Baker City |
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