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Opinion Letters Letters to the Editor for June 22, 2009
Letters to the Editor for June 22, 2009
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Tips on digital TV transition To the editor: Some folks with antennas have found the recent digital television transition confusing. First let me explain that Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) is not part of the Blue Mountain Translator district. OPB is a licensed full power TV station and as such was required to turn off the analog channel 13 and transmit digital channel 13. Since translators were not required to go digital on June 12, OPB is still available via analog translator signals on channel 50 off Mount Harris and analog channel 46 off Beaver Mountain south of Baker City. Those who formerly received OPB via channel 13 from Mount Fanny must either have a digital converter box or a digital television set. You must also rescan the converter box or the digital television to receive the digital channel 13. The conversion occurred at 5:15 a.m. on Friday, June 12, so if you have lost your OPB signal since that time you are one of those needing to perform the necessary changes. This does not apply to those with cable or satellite services. Your cable or satellite providers are responsible to perform the conversion for you. If you are still having problems receiving OPB after rescanning your converter box or television, please call the OPB digital help line: 800-241-8123. Al Steffler OPB regional chief engineer La Grande
To the editor: In Councilor Beverly Calder’s letter to the editor of May 26, she decries the proposed new property maintenance ordinance and calls any such attempt of city government to govern the open storage of trash, or one’s failure to maintain structures, “un-American.” What Ms. Calder failed to disclose in her communication is the most likely impetus for her objections to the proposed ordinance supported by Mr. Brocato; that is, she is the owner of a building in Baker City that would be considered a derelict building and a nuisance under even the most forgiving and liberal definition contained in any such ordinance. If the proposed ordinance is passed, she too would most likely be held responsible for the respectful maintenance of her property. I am a homeowner on Valley Avenue, in the area between Resort and East streets. Recently, several neglected and unsafe structures have been razed, or revitalized; however, one building in particular in the area stands in constant neglect, and continues to diminish the value of homes nearby. That building is located at 1620 Valley Ave. Once a church, it has long since been abandoned. Its windows are broken out, its cement is crumbling, its asbestos siding is broken, and electrical wiring and conduit hang from its exterior walls. Its unsecured basement is home to a myriad of feral cats, and has been used by homeless probation clients. It is owned by Councilor Calder, and stands as a monument of disrespect and hypocrisy toward her own community. I would encourage readers to drive by and take a look, and ask yourself if you would like it next to your home. Our elected leaders have a responsibility to set examples as citizens who demonstrate respect for their city, their community and the property values of their neighbors and constituents. If anyone should recuse themselves on casting a vote on this issue, or even serving in a position of City leadership, it should be Ms. Calder. Her time would be better spent showing some respect to her Valley Avenue constituents by doing some significant clean up, renovation, and/or demolition. Don Williams Baker City
To the editor: There has been a great deal of concern and criticism from members of the public over the process for terminating Brocato as City Manager which I wish to address. Brocato’s evaluation was a true measure of what each Councilor believed. The overall high score was the result of averaging in three “perfect” scores with four scores that gave good marks for administration and very poor scores in other areas. Before I took office Brocato was gracious in helping new Councilors get oriented. Then when Bryan didn’t have the votes to be Mayor, Brocato began an intensive campaign against Dorrah. He told me extremely negative things about Dorrah, which I found not to be true. I told him this. He then attempted to recruit me, Button and Pope. Pope agreed, but could not muster the votes and withdrew at the 11th hour. It appeared to the public that electing Dorrah was a calm and unanimous action. However, this entire process was intense, manipulative and a clear and knowing breach by Brocato of the ICMA Ethics Code. During a team-building session in March which Dorrah and Calder were unable to attend because it was basketball playoffs and a gun show and they needed to be at their businesses, Brocato repeatedly stated that Calder and Dorrah had intentionally boycotted, were non-team players and the source of all the contention on Council, past and present. He was unyielding in criticizing their characters over the two days. The out-of-town consultant acknowledged that he had been told these same things prior to meeting. I realized that Brocato was responsible for creating a City Hall environment which targeted certain people for willful and strident character assassination. Brocato has been unwilling to accept responsibility for his bullying tactics and displays of temper toward citizens and Councilors. This behavior denies the inherent rights of the people to civil discourse. It also serves as a method of dissuading Councilors from fully exploring issues, which is their duty under the Charter. It is Brocato’s unprofessional behavior and attitude toward the role of Council that led me to vote for his termination. Aletha Bonebrake City Councilor Baker City
To the editor: I would like to know the reasoning behind why some people want to recall Beverly Calder and Dennis Dorrah. Those two city council members have done absolutely nothing wrong. However, I could understand it if Andrew Bryan and Milo Pope were recalled because they directly violated the rules and procedures of city council. They refused to vote on the issue of starting a search for a new city manager. This whole situation is getting out of hand and some people are becoming quite childish about it. The graffiti on the sidewalks was completely uncalled for. How is that different from when our wonderful sports complex was vandalized? Sure this was only done with chalk but it still sends the same message. I had a similar thing happen in first grade when the kid next to me wrote “you are a dumby head” on one of my papers and even back then I thought it was childish. I am only 17 and I am acting adult about this situation so why can’t all of the actual adults? Robbie Langrell Baker City
To the editor: I was recently cleaning out a box of old camping gear and I came upon a small belt-clip unit containing my old fire shelter. I was a wildland firefighter when I was a kid, and we called them “shake and bakes.” As a joke for the next guy, we would often place a ramen-noodle seasoning packet into it before turning it back in. I guess I must have kept this one as a memento. It reminded me of many memories, but one in particular stands out. It was the late 80s, maybe ’87 or ’88, and we had a fire camp on the outskirts of Baker City next to a river. The fire was up in the hills and under no stretch of the imagination could it be considered threatening to the residents of Baker City itself ... just another fire. One night, as our crew lay on our paper sleeping bags finishing dinner and getting ready for some exhausted sleep, this one guy walked up to our group with a banjo. I guess he was from town, and he thanked us all for our efforts ... and then he started to play us some songs on his banjo. Most of us were just kids: college students, dropouts, or rejects, from the wet side of the Cascades — doing a dirty and difficult job that nevertheless got us a paycheck to keep us afloat while we figured out what we wanted to do with the rest of our lives. Once in a while we would see signs thanking us (or people waving) on the way into, or out of, a town near a fire we were fighting, but I don’t remember anyone ever actually coming into a camp to chat, much less play us a tune on a banjo. Anyway, this memory of appreciation has stuck with me for 20 years now. I hope we expressed our thanks well at the time, but to our Mystery Baker City Banjo Guy — if you are still there in Baker City, and read the letters to the editor — thank you. It was appreciated. Karl Westerholm Edmonds, Wash.
To the editor: Two new members came to City Council in January with a pledge to be independent and evaluate issues and situations objectively. We have done so. Yet even an independent must vote with one side or another. Every Councilor swore to abide by the law, City Charter, and rules of conduct specified in Ordinance 3407. I have done so. I have communicated my own standards and expectations in private and in written communications to staff and Council. When I evaluated former City Manager Brocato, I knew it was an interim evaluation. There were still critical issues that could not be discussed in public without causing a pointless dog-fight. Two weeks later, I was dealing with six separate issues of Mr. Brocato’s behavior and communication toward the council and his representation toward the press and public. In the end, I lost faith in Mr. Brocato’s intent or capability to change. There comes a time to let an employee go. What makes government dysfunctional is the refusal of individuals, citizens, or councilors to be responsible for their own actions. A civil, functional community exists only if we the public hold ourselves responsible to behave appropriately. We can move forward if we choose, cooperating even when we disagree. The same Council members who object to my vote asked me to abide by majority decisions and not challenge the Council to revisit the same issues repeatedly, nor attack their decisions publicly. Representative democracy is still democracy when the shoe is on the other foot. Leaders or would-be leaders who model and approve bad behavior in the guise of dissent don’t just make bad decisions; they tear down our system of government. If a matter of opinion causes you to vilify people, sabotage, threaten, or slander, then we have to examine who among us is really responsible for destructive behavior, who is unprofessional, or who creates embarrassment for the city. How sad that someone feels they have a right to vandalize property because they disagree with a council decision. Your children might do better, but only if you teach them how. Clair Button City Councilor Baker City
To the editor: In response to the letters in regards to Steve Brocato’s firing, I say it has gone far enough. When one of our community’s religious leaders equates the four councilors who voted to fire Mr. Brocato with those that crucified Jesus, then I say we have gone too far as a community. Whether you approve of his firing or not, you can best voice your opinion at the next election. Not with recall elections which cost the community precious resources that we need for schools, streets, etc. I would make a wager that at least one of the four councilors you oppose garnered your vote. We all elected them to represent us to the best of their abilities. We can’t fire a city manager so we gave them the power to do it for us. We, however, can fire them it they displease us with our vote. If you don’t like the fact that they exercised their power that we invoked on them, then pass a rule that gives the people the power to hire and fire a city manager. And I say good luck if you do. As a previous business owner I can only say that the most difficult thing to do is tell in advance how someone will act once you have hired them. Once again, remember you voted them in, and only you can vote them out at the appropriate time. I also hope talk of suing fellow councilors, or being a pain in the rear will give way to more mature dialogue. Bill Ward Baker City |
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