. . . in time to include in the paper before the election. I present it, not as an endorsement, but rather to inform you what the paper didn't want you to see.
Re-elect Robert Steve Alford as Alderman South Ward, City of Thayer, Mo.
I have been a resident of the City of Thayer for 20 years. My wife, Janet Tucker Alford, and I attend Victory Freewill Baptist Church in Alton, Missouri.
I voted to place the ½ cent sales tax on the ballot to be decided by the people. It was turned down, making it obvious the citizens didn’t believe we need sales tax to hire an economic director. I also voted against the one cent sales tax increase due to the fact that the voters had previously voted down the half cent sales tax. The citizens had spoken.
The city council should consider that a vast majority of citizens in our city are senior citizens on fixed incomes that cannot stand financially with increases in taxes and utility bills.
I also voted no to the city of Thayer having a city manager. As it turned out, Thayer, being a 4th class city, was not allowed by the state to have a city manager.
I would appreciate your vote and support.
Thank you,
Robert Steve Alford
To: David Cox, Managing Editor.
Re:
The Southwest Missourian NEWS.
I think there is a problem in your Thayer office. In Jan Sisk Lawrence's 3/30/06 front-page, below-the-fold article, Ordinance gets tough on underage drinking, she begins with "An ordinance was introduced at the March 12 Thayer City Council meeting . . ."
March 12 was a Sunday. The meeting was March 21. I was willing to write that off as a typo, a simple mistake, until I reached the next paragraph.
Thayer Electrical Superintendent Gary Barton told council members the minimum
rate an electrical customer in the city is paying presently is $4.25. He
said rates need to be increase [sic] to a minimum of $4.63 in order to keep up
with the 6 percent to 10 percent electrical rate increase suppliers will be
charging the city.
He said one of the reasons for the increase is
low lake levels.
There's one big problem with that. I was at that meeting. Gary Barton was not there. He and the mayor chose not to grace us with their presence that night. Either Jan Sisk Lawrence made that up out of thin air herself, or she relied on an unreliable source who fabricated it. Either way, she didn't factcheck it, and apparently needs someone to do the factchecking for her.
And the entire article leaves the impression that Jan Sisk Lawrence was at the meeting, reporting what she saw. I suppose I could have missed her, but I certainly didn't see her there. And if she WAS there, wouldn't she have known that neither Gary Barton nor Mayor Allen Deckard chose to attend the meeting, and wouldn't she have reported THAT?
These accuracy issues, coupled with the "accidental" act of not faxing over a candidate's (who, "coincidentally", is on the mayor and Gary Barton's bad side) candidacy anouncement to the Salem office in time for it to appear before the election, lead any reasonable person to believe you have serious problems in your Thayer office.
You ask me, a reprint of the entire circulation of this week's edition, including the missing candidacy announcement and fixing the factual errors in the article, is in order.
John Hutchison
Thayer Taxpayers' Association Blog[Blogger's Note: When I receive a copy of the candidacy announcement the paper didn't print, I will post it here on this blog, not as an endorsement, but for it's news value. This blog is not in the business of endorsing candidates; our readers can be trusted to make up their own minds about who to vote for.][Update:] User mailbox exceeds allowed size: news@areawidenews.com.[Update 2:] Same result. Faxed a copy to their Salem office. Appears to have gone through OK.
WPDQ has
a story up today about the trial involving our Mayor's little tantrum.
As previously noted, the Quill's online stories disappear after a couple of days, so go read it today.
I have asked them permission to reprint it here, but don't know if it will be granted.
[Update:] The Quill refused.Thank youfor your interest, but The Quill does not provide its articles forthis kind of distribution.Please keep in mind we are a copyrighted newspaper.
Thanks,
City Editor Carol Bruce
. . . I may not be posting quite so much for awhile.
Other, more important matters to chase down.
I invite you to read
this comment, posted anonymously (or so they think) on this blog over the weekend to
this post, which simply reported on what went on at the Thayer city council meeting this week.
Mayor Allen Deckard and City Manager Administrator Gary Barton were not present for the meeting.
The following items were approved unanimously by the four present city council members:
1. Proceed with land sales for tax delinquent properties.
2. Awarding the winning bid on surplus items.
3. Annexation of Highway 63 South to the state line.
4. Outside watering.
5. Change to city law dealing with minors and liquor.
6. Definition of emergency vehicles and the requirements of drivers when near emergency vehicles.
7. Application for USDA grant for a police car.
8. Application for USDA grant for cages and camera in emergency vehicles.
9. Permission to apply for a roughly $200,000 grant for a city fire truck. The city’s share would be 5%, or about $10,000.
10. Approval of payment for departmental supplies.
11. Advertising for pool manager.
A proposed electric rate increase was tabled to allow the council members to gather more information on the topic.
A proposed water rate increase was not voted upon, due to the lack of a motion to bring it to a vote.
Problems with the sewer line for a residence on Arch Street, and the runaround the city was giving the occupants of that residence, were brought before the council. Bob Grimes and Buddy Rogers agreed to inspect the property the next day to see what can be done.
Some of the topics to be discussed include:
An increase in electric and water rates!
Annexation of Hwy 63 South.
USDA grants for a police car and cages and cameras in emergency
vehicles.
Land sales for properties with 3 year delinquent taxes.
Provisions for outside use of water.
The meeting will be at 7:00 PM at the Chamber room at Thayer City Hall. Be there and let your voice be heard about whether or not you want to pay more for electricity and water!
Thayer City Council Meeting tomorrow night @ 7 PM in the council room at Thayer City Hall.
Surprise Thayer City Council Meeting today at 1:00 PM at the council room at city hall to discuss annexation of Hwy 63 South.
