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Opinion Letters Letters to the Editor for June 24, 2009
Letters to the Editor for June 24, 2009
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Searching for my host family To the editor: Hello. I’m a Guatemalan who stayed in Baker for three months in 1986. I stayed at Lorene and Bob Colton’s home and had a fantastic time. They opened their home but specially their hearts to me. I’m trying to locate them or their daughter, Mary. Julia Alvarez Guatemala
To the editor: Councilor Bonebrake recently commented in regard to my evaluation of Steve Brocato in a letter posted on the Facebook page “We Support Steve Brocato”: “Mr. Brocato’s evaluation was a true measure of what we believed. Mr. Pope, Mr. Bass and Mr. Bryan gave him the highest marks right down the line, which moved the average into the high range. This type of scoring reflects a rallying mentality more than sober thought. It had the effect of skewing the average, which I suspect was the intent.” I will have my specific evaluation of Steve Brocato released by the city recorder once Mayor Dorrah submits them for the public record. To date he has refused to present the evaluations to the city, believing only the summary is for public consumption. Steve Brocato, again, to date, has not seen the individual evaluations from councilors, only a summarization of their comments. The record will show my evaluation was scored lower than Councilor Button’s, and there is absolutely no evidence of an attempt by me to skew the average with “the highest marks” possible. My evaluation of the city manager was a fair assessment. The evaluation process was a simplified version provided to Mayor Dorrah by former Mayor Hofmann, contrary to the comprehensive approach recommended by Steve Brocato. Mayor Dorrah did not support a more in-depth and contemporary evaluation which would have led to more discussion and recommendations as to the council’s concerns regarding the city manager’s relationship with the council and perceptions relating to his interaction with the public. The approach requested by Steve Brocato, in hindsight, would have provided the groundwork for the previously scheduled session with a nationally recognized consultant to mediate the differences that exist among councilors and with the administration. The voters will now rightfully decide who represents “sober” thought among a council that is not able to manage a more professional process in assessing management. Andrew Bryan City Councilor Baker City
To the editor: Thank you Baker City Herald for the editorial comments regarding the City Manager’s dismissal. I totally agree with you all — the proper process may have been overlooked. While running for Council, the candidates ran on the platform of “change is needed” (government needs to be more public friendly and transparent). What happened? What happened to the executive session where all the Council members discuss among themselves the ramifications to the citizens and staff of dismissing the City Manager? The outcome may have been the same, but the process was never allowed to go forward in a public and transparent manner. It would serve well that the City Council fix the problem. The City Council can shine by working out this challenge in a positive way. Logic tells us there is going to be a cost in the decision that was made. Lost time, money to advertise and hire a new manager, recall election. The cost to the community and staff in morale, no matter what side of the equation a person may be on. Grow up! Put personalities and egos aside, do the right thing — for the Council, the community, for the staff, and Mr. Brocato. Reinstate Mr. Brocato, let him know there are areas he needs to work on in order for him to depend on long-term employment; or let the public know how and why four Council members came up with their decision outside of the Council chamber. There needs to be respect shown by all. We live in a free country, respect each other and learn from each other. Differences and respect is what makes for good decisions. City Council members, get with it! Now for the citizens, don’t be petty and mean-spirited. Take the high road; come up with positive solutions in a constructive manner. Exercise your rights with integrity. Terry Drever Gee Baker City
To the editor: On behalf of the Hutch’s/Clear Choice Masters Race Team from Bend, I would like to thank the people of Baker City for putting on such a great bike race! The Elkhorn Classic Stage Race is one of the major races on our race calendar because of the quality of the courses, professional race promoters, and the friendliness of the people of Baker City. We always feel so welcome. We hope you continue to host this event for years to come. Scott Seaton Bend
To the editor: Mr. Brocato’s humble job was to respectfully enable the success of his governing body, the elected City Council members. Unfortunately, he enabled discord and upheaval. Looking forward, let us hope for an efficient city manager who is both humble and respectful to his employers, the city council, and to the needs of the tax-paying public. Intelligence. Wisdom. Respect. Patience. In the frenzy to hire someone to sit in the City Manager’s office, can the City Council members exhibit these qualities themselves and take the time to thoroughly explore the background of all applicants for indications of a successful future rather than to repeat the dismal past? Mardelle Ebell Baker City
To the editor: Senator Ron Wyden will be in town at the Community Connection building at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. It is more important to meet the senator than it is to get involved in the City Council controversy. The senator represents you in national policy. I have to commend Senator Wyden for his willingness to meet the public. He has a much better record on this than Greg Walden, who tends to meet with a few select people then we read about it later in the paper. I’ve been asking the senator the same question for years and I still want an answer to it. You see, I live in the green state of Oregon, the one that wants to save the land, open space, farmland and the environment. As you know if you read the Courier, I keep pointing out that all of these things are impossible if the population keeps expanding, and there is only one thing that expands our population, rapidly and constantly, and that is too much liberal legal immigration policy and an out-of-control illegal immigration problem. So we live with pipe dreams of getting off the Middle East oil barrel and think we can be energy independent with things like wind and solar. It ain’t going to happen. We are not going to save the land or the forests if we grow to a billion population. Therefore I ask again: What is your stand on the E-verify system that matches Social Security numbers to names? Are you going to vote for amnesty for everyone who wanders on in and makes themselves at home? What is your stand on the border fence? Would you change the law that allows illegals to have babies with automatic citizenship? How about having at least one American parent to be a citizen? Time to answer the question, Senator. You are up for election soon. Steve Culley Baker City |
