(Op-ed from Peter Children)
You all have seen the complicity between Bookmeyer, Turncoat, Stolberg & Hickey, and you have seen the departure of Marsters & Nelson…with Weaver currently undecided if he will seek re-election. This could prove catastrophic for Mason City. The only bright light up to now is Sandy Servantes. It takes courage to go after a council seat, and I take nothing away from anyone who goes for it, in fact I admire them for their tenacity.
We who vote must keep in mind that different people want different things from office. Ulterior motives are high on the list of most; and more often than not money figures into the recipe in large quantities. Look behind the candidate and examine their background along with their occupation. Can a seat on the council improve their financial interest? Brokering one deal through a blind partner could make more money for a council person than you make in a year. Strict measures should be implemented into the bylaws of city government that prohibits any council person from doing any sort of business with the city in any form, directly or indirectly. That should be the first measure of business.
The same thing should be imposed on county personnal. It just makes sense to be certain unfair practices are not in play. These are tenacious times for this city, an election is close by whose outcome can change the landscaped of this community. Bookmeyer and his ilk want to put up a glorified hockey rink and call it something else. They will tell you it will work, but they cannot offer any guarantee that it will. I am not against good sound projects that will make this city prosper and make life more appealing to those living here. Did you see the crowds filling the streets at the opening of the Park Inn Hotel? They won’t always fill the streets but they will never stop coming. That single endeavor will do more to encourage further renovation in the downtown core than any other in a very long time.
On another note, John Skipper’s column in the September 6th Globe Gazette is misleading as always. He said the other side of the table, meaning Turncoat, Stolberg and Hickey favor taking “calculated” risks. What I want to know is who’s doing the calculations? Maybe Bookmeyer you think? That has to be the first joke of the day. He goes on to quote former mayor Roger Bang whom he quotes as saying you need four votes to get things done. He could have just as well said you need four votes to do what you want….like maybe close down H.R.C., or push through any and all the crap Bookmeyer has on his agenda. It is no secret who Skipper favors on that council. This style of reporting is getting old, people can see through this tripe, they have finally figured out that newsprint is not sacred.
Skipper is right on one assumption; this coming election probably will give Bookmeyer the majority of votes at the table. And that will have dire consequences for this city and surrounding area. All of this could be avoided by simply voting. To vote is one of the most precious rights afforded the citizens of this country, and also the least appreciated. In this country, people like Sandy Servantez can sit at the table and represent your best interests, not someone with his own podium and private tennis courts. When you vote you level the playing field, when you vote….you win.
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