City Council race should be partisan
The ěSilly Season,î aka election time, is here. The voters who are interested in voting are forced to wade through the same old Bovine Scatology, the tailor-made sound bites, once again.
I was informed by someone recently that just because a personís name is in the headlines is no reason not to treat them civilly. But civil or not, when persons choose to become elected, hired or appointed to a public office, they had better have a thick skin. Tom Jefferson said it best: ěWhen a man assumes a public trust he should consider himself a public property.î
In the recent bout between interim City Manager Doug Paris and County Manager Gary Page, Paris came across as arrogant, immature and perhaps not ready for his responsibilities as city manager. He certainly isnít ready to work the city council like a puppeteer the way his old boss/mentor ó the one who helped bring us the Fibrant boondoggle without voter approval ó did. If a couple of new members could be added to the city council, I would without reservation suggest that Mr. Paris be replaced as quickly as possible.
But would new be appreciably better? Challengers Rip Kersey and Ben Lynch both want an independent board of directors to oversee Fibrant, according to a recent Post article. Thatís all we taxpayers need: More layers on an already bloated bureaucracy. As Tocqueville wrote: ěA manís admiration for absolute government is proportionate to the contempt he feels for those around him.î
If long-standing members of the council, such as Kluttz, Kennedy and Woodson were sincere in their desire to help Salisbury, they would step aside to make room for new blood. The founders didnít intend that political offices become careers. City council elections should be partisan, pitting Democrats against Republicans (or RINOs), with a separate race for mayor.
ó Bill Ward
Salisbury
Good memories
I just read with great interest the story, ěA century on, still going strongî about Claude Lyerly (in Tuesdayís Post). While I did not know him personally, a very good friend of mine and I used to ride ponies from our homes on Gold Hill Drive, down the Old Concord Road to Salisbury. There we would tie the ponies outside the 50-50 store and go inside for a soft drink and cracker. Probably couldnít do that sort of thing these days. Thanks for the memories.
ó Robert Dry
Rockwell