Who is guarding Salisbury’s tax dollars?
As a businessman who works hard to make payroll for my employees every week, I am dumbfounded to read the accounts of the severance money paid to two former employees of the city of Salisbury.
Mr. Paris, the 20-something city manager, who was hired to run a multi-million dollar operation not long out of school, walked off with $205,288.
In my book that’s not far from a quarter of a million dollars.
Our dollars, fellow citizens. Our dollars that we all work very hard for!
Apparently “someone” agreed to a contract that gave him this ungodly amount. It is blatantly clear that hiring someone with so little experience in “the real world” was a tragic mistake.
Then there is Ms. Hasselmann, the woman that Mr. Paris brought up through the ranks so quickly and to whom he gave such preferential treatment, in the form of multiple raises. She walked off with a mere $32,746.
She left of her own volition, chose to do so all on her own without any encouragement or pressure and she didn’t even have a contract!
We have to ask — who is in charge of making these crazy decisions? The truth is that no one is in charge. No one is guarding our tax dollars from these opportunists. The simple truth is that “it is not their money” — so they just don’t care!!!
Am I the only one who is incensed?
The mayor says “he was surprised”!
Really, Mr. Mayor?
He says that the city council only hires the city manager and that he had nothing to do with the $32,746 for Ms. Hasselmann. Then, Mr. Mayor, who did make this ridiculous payment to her? Who signed the check?
What a pathetic and sorry state of affairs.
— Gerry Wood
Salisbury

For shame, Salisbury
Why was Elaney Hasselmann given a severance package? She resigned; she was not fired! In all our years in the business world, we have never seen the likes of this. Does that mean that every city employee that resigns will receive the same benefits?
Was there no accountability when it came to the large raises that Doug Paris received? And what about those he gave to Ms. Hasselmann? Not to mention the large severance package that Mr. Paris received! It is outrageous that the city of Salisbury has so much extra money!
Why not help the homeless and the veterans on our streets, the children that are hungry, and the many families in need.
For shame, Salisbury! For shame!
— Brad and Sally Bradley
Salisbury

Press helped Hitler?
Regarding the letters recently about whether or not it’s fair to compare Obama with Hitler, I’d rather look at it from another angle.
I collect old magazines and newspapers (dating back to George Washington); and the press’s attitude during Hitler’s rise to power might surprise you.
While Hitler was busy declaring himself Fuhrer, 24 college professors and students took a field trip to tour Nazi Germany. The New York Times published a glowing report on Aug. 18, 1934, with this headline: “College students back from Reich. Warmly received, they say, denying report they met with unpleasantness; visited every section.” (Students impressed with socialism? Who’d have guessed?)
Another article was entitled “Berlin Jewish group for a unified Reich.” This Jewish group was asking all German Jews to vote for Hitler in the upcoming plebiscite. (Despite his attitude towards Israel, American Jews overwhelmingly supported Obama.)
Remember when Obama “declared war” on the Catholic Church, and then later, nuns themselves? Another article was entitled “Nazi attack arouses German Catholics.” Berlin’s Catholic diocese was outraged, because the Hitler Youth Organization had issued a “command” that every German youth “Throw from you the last remnants of your Christian education, which destroys the character of the Nordic man.”
Within a few years, of course, socialists in America took up the cause to “de-Christianize” our public education system. They succeeded.
From Life Magazine’s March 15, 1937, issue: The headline says: “The Germans have co-educational trouble.” The article ends by saying “…girls have begun to produce illegitimate children at an alarming rate. To soothe the parents, the Government has recommended that Germans view illegitimate births with more tolerance.”
So, is Obama anything like Hitler? No. They’re two completely different men. But could a thinly-disguised Hitler become president? I believe so, because the media hasn’t changed.
— Steve Pender
Rockwell

Un-funny odor
Phew! Something smells rotten! Is it:
a. The mayor?
b. The City Council?
c. The recent city manager?
d. All of the above?
When I retired from teaching in ’78, I was making top salary, not quite $12,000 yearly.
— Beulah Davis
Mount Ulla

Where do I apply?
I gotta get a job with the City of Salisbury. Then resign.
— Jim McClellan
Kannapolis