Friday the 13th

I was reminded today, quite rudely, that not everyone in the world – or in Sidney – is willing to be part of a polite conversation. A fellow blogger wrote a post about the unsigned pamphlets being distributed in our community. She wrote "Recalling Bob Van Vleet because of an anonymous letter should have each and every sitting councilman / future concilman (sic) concerned."

I posted a comment that pointed out it was Mr. Van Vleet's "Letter to the Editor" that instigated the mention of recall at Tuesday's council meeting, and that it was the councilman himself who brought it up.
The responses to my post would not have made it onto any Web site with a filter for adult language and content, and were downright disturbing for the personal attacks they included.

I should have known, it being Friday the 13th, that something was going to happen. And then I read my horoscope :

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). You have a loyal friend and supporter. And when you rush in naively, trusting the world to behave by your code of ethics, this person will watch your back and stand guard over your heart.
I found out I have many good friends and supporters who are standing guard over my heart and watching my back.

I want to say thank you to each of them, it means great deal.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it...or not

The following is a letter to the editor I sent to the paper in response to one written by councilman Bob Van Vleet.

Ogallala is currently advertising for a economic development coordinator, and the salary starts at $57,203 and ranges to $81,471 based on experience.

Alliance recently advertised for a city manager with the salary range of $83,000 to $100,000. The Lexington city manager earns $96,000, the Kearney city manager earns $155,167 and the city administrator of Gothenburg (population 3,619) makes up to $75,000.

Gary Person, serving in the dual role as Sidney City Manager and Cheyenne County Economic Development Director earns a salary of just less than $97,000, of which $20,000 is paid from the Cheyenne County Keno proceeds. In other words, the city is only responsible for paying $77,000 of his salary.

At the Jan. 12 city council meeting, Councilman Bob Van Vleet made a motion to change the language of City Ordinance 1206 that reads in part “The Director of the (Economic Development) Department shall be the City Manager or a person designated by him or her with the approval of Council.”

Van Vleet proposed the word “shall” be changed to the word “may,” giving the council the option to have the city manager and economic development director positions split into two jobs instead of the dual position held by Person.

At the time he made the motion, Van Vleet said “We have the best economic development person in the state of Nebraska and maybe the Midwest. I don’t see why we waste his time and talents on street sweeping, garbage collection and other mundane duties. I just think it would be more efficient to divide those two jobs.”

(The video excerpt of this is available on YouTube and can be found by searching for Sidney City Council.)

Now, in a letter to the editor published last Saturday, Van Vleet writes of Person “I think he would be a good city manager if he would do it full-time and let the chamber take care of economic development.”

I am confused Mr. Van Vleet. Why would we want the best economic development person in the Midwest to abandon the position for the sake of managing the city when he seems to be handling both roles very well and at a bargain price?

I am reminded of those scenes from courtroom dramas on television where the lawyer asks “Were you telling the truth then or are you telling the truth now?”