I received my first response from a citizen:

 “Your information is incorrect, if you would like facts you should meet with the mayor.
Look around, the city hasn’t looked better in decades. Been here 20yrs. Upgrades to parks, sidewalks, clean city streets, power company is awesome, city hall looks great, we have EMTs and firehouse in city for fast response to citizens, happy employees.

What’s wrong with a pay raise? It gets voted on by the city counselor anyways, not like the Mayor can make the call. If they think it’s appropriate then must be? Feelings are facts!

Plus time to grow up and get a hobby.”

I know the Mayor has accomplished things during her term – that’s not in dispute nor is it the point of this blog.  But his email made me think:  Should doing “good stuff” negate the “bad stuff”?  Each of us needs to decide that for ourselves. 

It’s important to me that when an official says something, that I can count on it being the truth.  Not feel it’s the truth, but know it’s the truth.  Things were said at City Council Meetings last summer that caused me to question if what I was hearing was accurate, so I investigated.  I realize that other people may not care so much, and that’s okay.

I’m not making things up. The words and the emails are accurate.  That you feel the “good stuff” excuses the “bad stuff” is your choice. 

And if you read everything, you’d know my issue is with the process – not the pay raise.  The pay raise is a one-off event. The process may be a symptom of a systemic issue – and that concerns me. 

I voted for the Mayor because I thought with her we wouldn’t be back here again.

And let’s give credit where credit is due: The city employees are awesome. They are the foundation and the heart of the city. They are the ones who keep it all going — administration after administration.