‘Poll’ was really a push against Kay Hagan
This evening, I answered a call that I regret taking. The caller identified himself as “George” and said he was conducting a survey on issues related to the 2014 elections. I get such calls from time to time and usually participate out of some perverse sense of public duty. Initially, questions were the typical demographic inquiries and reasonable questions about issues and my impressions of.
Soon, however, the questioning degenerated into the most blatant “push poll” I have ever been subjected to. It became clear this was a campaign call for Thom Tillis, thinly veiled as an opinion poll. Each question became an increasingly egregious statement of half truth, untruth, and blatant misstatements of facts and Kay Hagan’s record of job performance.
I became so disgusted at what I was being asked (or, told) that I hung up, I fully expected the next question to be “would the fact that Kay Hagan not only slept with, but bore a child by Satan, make you more or less likely to vote for her and how strongly do you feel about that?”
I realize neither side is blameless in negative tactics but this was the most disgusting spewing of political untruths about any candidate I have been subjected to. I have no doubt, however, about the effectiveness of this particular survey on any voter who, being relative inattentive to state and national political news, has no knowledge context in which to evaluate the innuendo (and outright lies) this group is subjecting them to.
Beware of political hacks in pollster’s clothing.
— Alan K. Menius
Salisbury

Try ‘I’ for ‘impeach’
As usual, Clyde, a very good, no holds barred letter to the editor. I would offer one change and that would be to change the letter “I” to stand for “impeach,” as in you’re fired, we don’t need you any more, hit the road, etc.
Mayor Woodson, his second in command Maggie Blackwell and the rest of the group may be tired of this city manager and his associate subject, but the taxpayers are not and will not allow it to go away. Comments like “I have not heard any unfavorable feedback and everyone seems to think the city is doing a good job” are just not true!
The problem is not really what was or was not going on between employees but the total lack of accountability and lack of supervision.
Perhaps the blame for this ridiculous contract and its severance package falls on other shoulders, but the severance given to the other person that just up and quit falls squarely on the shoulders of the mayor and the sitting council, period. They best be prepared to extend the same treatment to all city employees who decide to quit.
To sum it up, Rising Star Young Doug just out-foxed the whole bunch!
— Sam L. Hoffman
Salisbury
That money is gone
The mayor’s statement that the city is recouping Doug Paris’s severance package by delaying the hiring of a new city manager makes absolutely no sense. By all accounting, the $200,000-plus is gone. We have paid for professional services that will never be rendered.
While not hiring a new city manager saves money by not having a manager on the payroll, delaying hiring of a new manager does not “get the money back for the taxpayers.” The money and the professional services associated with it are gone forever. We do not get the benefit of $200,000 in professional services regardless of when we hire a new manager.
Hindsight is 20/20. City Council screwed up on many levels — the hiring, the manager’s contract, their management of the manager and termination agreement. So don’t pretend that delaying the hiring of a new city manger is going to bring the money home for the taxpayers. It is not. It will save on payroll. But we will never get the professional services associated with it.
For the taxpayer, using this payback idea to rationalize delaying the hiring of a new city manager is the icing on the cake. It adds insult to injury. It is time to man up and move on. For the sake of the taxpayers, let’s get to the business of hiring a new professional city manager in a timely manner. Just don’t make the same mistakes twice!
— Michael S. Young
Salisbury

We support Patterson Farm
Thank you to Mark Wineka for setting the record straight on the totally incorrect YouTube video about Patterson Farm (“When pictures lie,” July 17). Michelle Patterson did a wonderful job of explaining about their guest worker program in the Salisbury Post article.
Patterson Farm is an excellent corporate citizen and a model program for others in the region. They are involved with school programs, economic development organizations and recently hosted a Rowan Chamber Agri-business Tour which featured their guest worker program. The chamber and our business leaders appreciate everything Patterson Farm does to support the entire region.
Patterson Farm adds substantially to the local tourism economy through agri-tourism and group business. Tourism in Rowan County generates over $130 million in annual visitor expenditures.
We are honored to have the Patterson family and all their employees in our community, Please continue to support them by buying locally grown produce and welcome their employees when you see them around town.
— Elaine Spalding
Salisbury
Spalding is president of the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce

Good citizens eager to aid
Yesterday, my wife and I were driving out of Salisbury on North Main Street towards Spencer. As we drove, a man on a scooter was cut off by an automobile and he wrecked in the middle of the road. It looked pretty nasty.
I stopped and we went to his aid. Within one minute, multiple citizens stopped and provided aid and directed traffic. Everyone stayed until the police and emergency vehicles arrived and the gentleman was loaded into the ambulance.
Thank you to everyone who stopped to assist. I am very proud of you.
— Rick Johnson
Salisbury

Helping the wrong people
Any government entity should do their due diligence concerning employee hires.
It seems that there will never be a change in the mindset of those who use a double standard to push ahead those who don’t need a helping hand, versus someone that wants a chance to make a better life.
— Patricia Forney
Salisbury

Earlier manager did his part
Hopefully, Mr. Paris’ severance package included a course in anger management.
But the greater transgression lies with his more polished predecessor, who cajoled and facilitated the Fibrant boondoggle and Mr. Paris on our city leaders.
Even our county government looks good by comparison.
— M.B. Blankenship
Woodleaf