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April 29, 2010 Opinion |
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—Editorial—
This We Think....
School Board
We are happy to see the 5J School Board has reached an agreement with the BEA (teachers) for the five days off they received without pay for the last school year. But we hope further negotiations will yield a compensation for the administrative and classified staff who gave up their five days pay without a fight. They are the ones who should be rewarded.
City Council
What’s with the meeting that Calder dubbed a “secret?” An email went out to at least one city councilor with the subject line “The Brocato Budget Club” inviting him to attend a meeting with Councilors Milo Pope, Sam Bass and former City Manager Steve Brocato. Why weren’t all of the councilors included? Was Brocato paid for his services? If it wasn’t a “secret meeting” then why wasn’t it announced to all of the Councilors, and the current City Manager?
Obviously this was not a social gathering between good friends or they would have held it somewhere besides Council Chambers.
We applaud Councilor Calder, who was not invited to The Brocato Budget Club, for trying to find out what was discussed in the private meeting at Tuesday night’s Council meeting. We wish Mayor Dorrah would have refrained from using his gavel and had let the conversation go on longer so we could have found some answers.
If you want to utilize the expertise of a former city manager, great, good idea, but for crying out loud let all of those responsible for offering input on the budget in on it!
It may have been a harmless meeting, but these are the kinds of things that could dispel citizens’ hopes of transparency in city council.
What a slap in the face to the rest of the Councilors!
—Letters To The Editor—
Community Choir ‘Fabulous’
To The Record-Courier:
The Community Choir concert last Sunday was fabulous! We thank Lynne Burroughs and all the choir members and musicians for a wonderful afternoon. The setting in the beautiful ballroom of the restored Natatorium, now the Baker Heritage Museum, was outstanding.
We are so fortunate that this magnificent building was rescued from demolition in 1975 by a far-sighted group of citizens who had a dream. their dream is now a reality: The Baker Heritage Museum.
Frances Burgess
Baker City
It’s Obama’s Ball Game, Like It Or Not
To The Record-Courier:
I have read the letters to the Editor in both Baker papers, and many have excellent points, and I agree with some. It’s also plain to see some cannot get themselves out of the past. As a veteran and a Tea Party member I see many points missed. First folks, to still keep blaming Bush for all his faults won’t accomplish anything. He’s not the President, Obama is, and it’s Obama’s ball game, like it or not. If you will check history you will find this progressive movement that the founding Fathers tried to warn us about goes a long ways back.
Presidents Coolidge, Roosevelt and others were into big government take overs. No, Bush is not innocent of many of the same, but like I said, he’s not President. What I must say is Obama has added to the same problem and then some. Obama is the one who bailed out the car companies with your tax money, then said now the people own them. Are you receiving anything from this? Probably not. Now the government owns GM and the health care bill as written will be government run. Obama now wants to control the banks and the county’s financial outlay. Some have asked where was the Tea Party before? Will let me ask the same question, where were you when the country needed your help? The Tea Party is not just against taxes, but the main reason is to put a stop to big government and bring it back to within the confines of our Constitution of the United States, not European socialism where the people rights are the ones given by their government.
One more question, those of you who have questions about Tea Party views, have you ever been to a meeting or a rally, or do you just make up your own views? It’s time to sit aside party views and names and come together as some have said before any more big government takeovers and rights of the people are lost. Obama has made himself look weak to the ones who want to kill us instead of keeping this country strong in its defense, apologies for its greatness, telling the Moslem world, this was not a Christian Nation, which is a lie. At least that’s where its foundation was before we became so liberal that we started agreeing with anything out of fear.
The one thing that keeps a country strong and its enemies afraid to attack is its power and might. Obama seems to think the opposite is true, which makes me ask, whose side is he on because history proves him wrong. There is much more to write about, but space is limited, some not on the news, so closing for now.
Richard Fox
Baker City
Raises Won’t Pass The Smell Test Either
To The Record-Courier:
I find it interesting to read the news as printed, then have a conversation with people who were at the same meeting and got a different version of what was said. As I recall in reporting, what, where, when who and why were all to be followed and reported very accurately. As I write a letter to the editor I don’t have to follow any of these constraints as I am only expressing my opinion.
As I have said in previous letters to the editor, we have two separate economies here. The private one has to operate within the bounds and constraints of the available resourses. The tax supported group seems to operate as if there is no end to the supply of dollars.
I don’t have to tell you of the state of our economy. We all know what happened to people’s 401s and of the layoffs in our local business community.
One recent news item dealing with wages of our elected officials stated that the proposed increase won’t pass the red face test. I agree completely. Only will add that is sure will not pass the smell test.
I ask how can this proposed increase be justified in our present economy — it can’t.
Eric Romtvedt
Baker City
Appreciate 911 Dispatchers And Local Police
To The Record-Courier:
We are very fortunate to have such dedicated 911 Dispatchers and Police Officers. Last Saturday at 3 a.m. we received a call from 911 saying our number had come up as needing assistance. We had not called.
Assuring them all was O.K. they no sooner hung up than we heard someone knocking at our door. Officers Mike Harris and Wayne Bailey came in and made sure we were safe and secure, checking all the rooms as well as the garage. They were very professional, courteous and concerned.
We want to thank them and 911 and want everyone to know we think we are so fortunate to be living in a town where we can be as safe as these people can possibly help make it.
Pat and Roy Valentine
Baker City
Little Thumper vs. Coffee Anyone?
To The Record-Courier:
Well some if not most of you are probably wondering where she is coming off on this one? Let your imagination run wild for a moment in time and see what the conflicts are from the above subject and I’m sure some of you will come up with some goodies on it as well.
Now in making reference to Little Thumper mind you that is, the season’s given spring time at its best is the first little bugger to make landfall in this home of ours. Yes, turning on our wonderful computer of gadgets of sorts one morning, I felt something dropping in on my head, enough to knock my socks off and figured it was probably a fly as big as the ace of spades. Don’t think a bee at this point, didn’t do any damage control. Then talk about birds of a feather flock together, issues of life a bird decided it was going to make his way in thru the swamp cooler for the first time in the 16 some years we have been here. If that wasn’t a moment of aggravation and let alone having a new window which the varmint didn’t break. Since then we have remedied the situation and swamp cooler at that. Even our little critters in life can be something else for humor at its best.
Now on to the coffee anyone issues. I am appalled about the price of coffee elsewhere in our states. Recently we took a mini vacation to Walla Walla to view the historic sites and take in some other activities they have there every year. Weather wise it was wonderful. A few times we made our way into one of the restaurants nearby which we like really well until my husband figured things out mathematically making sure the total was correct on our tabs. He discovered the gruesome idea of our coffee being charged for $2.19 and rounding that off with sales tax is $2.20 if you want to be down to the tee on that issue. You had to ask for water, they weren’t about to serve it and I would imagine they wanted to conserve on their ice being the cost of ice will go up if it hasn’t already. So all you guys and gals who like your morning coffee at the local restaurants here in town enjoy the price of it while you can. Don’t think it will be too far off before we start paying that price and getting close to the price of gas.
Just can’t wait to see if the agenda for senior discounts might be effected in more ways than one. Just for eating out and enjoying the company or people watching. Guess with freight charges going up, imagine what the prices of our eating out will do. So I will stick to making my brewed up pot, perking my coffee and enjoy a couple of rounds at the restaurants. And see where that Little Thumper went to. Coffee Anyone?
Brenda Dickison
Baker City, Ore.
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