Agrees with Allan (January 8, 2017)
In Monday’s Opinion Section of the Daily Press, former Apple Valley Town Councilman Peter Allan pointed out a few of the inherent problematic issues facings the new Mayor (Nassif), as well as noting the outgoing mayor’s (Barb Stanton) misunderstanding of the democratic process.
I join with Councilman Allan and strongly believe he offers not only a realistic view of upcoming problems, but explains some of the reasoning why I am very unhappy with the current and incoming group of Council people.
Simply, the Council appears to be a group who do nothing more than rubber stamp
and back each other’s play. And why do you think that is? It’s a group of people who have the juice
(power) and they’ll do most anything to keep it.
Just look at the recent polling since the Hanson initiative was introduced and voted on. That initiative was proposed and voted on to prevent excessive unilateral expenditure(s) of public funds by a runaway Town Council.
Then suddenly rather than just accept the ideals of the initiative, this group of Councilmen and Councilwomen introduced and promoted an alternative that ended up on the ballot that was designed to counter the Hanson initiative, with the sole intent that they, the Town Council, maintained their juice
or at least to dilute the effects of the Hanson initiative, should the voters accept it over that of the Town Council.
Although their ideas were defeated by citizen voters, this group continues promoting the expenditure of public funds to take over Liberty Utilities, the local water company, which has also contributed much to the ongoing legal battle. And for what it’s worth (probably not a lot) I’m not thrilled with either side of that argument and believe there is no pot of gold
at the end of the rainbow for either side. But who will be the biggest losers? The citizens of Apple Valley.
But as Allan points out, there was a time that Apple Valley Town Council had at least the necessary imbalance for democracy to have its place in representing ALL the people, and not just five individuals with total agreement in a leadership position (to keep their power). And I agree and certainly hope that in 2018, the voters will break up this block party down at the Town Hall in Apple Valley.
Alex Varga, Apple Valley
Source: Daily Press