By Carol Swanson?Reader”s views
As a local business owner, I recently attended the Lakeport City Council meeting with the intention of speaking on a noise abatement issue. Instead, I sat through over 90 minutes of discussion on whether or not four local non-profits would be able to sell fireworks on July 4. I left the meeting wondering one thing ? when will these “good ole” boys” stop getting re-elected?
Mayor Bertsch smiled at all the presenters and asked a few inane questions. Parmentier never said a word and Rumfelt looked like he was asleep for half of the meeting.
It was obvious to everyone that these three men had already made up their minds on this issue and the painful pleadings of the four non-profits would go unheard. It all made sense when Rumfelt said, “I once sold fireworks with these groups ? the booster club and the Channel Cats.” It was at this point that I understood the problem ? these men no longer care about the youth in our community. Their kids are grown and gone ? they no longer attend the local schools or swim at the city pool. These men supported these programs when their kids were around but why care now? There was, however, one ray of sunshine at the council meeting ? Suzanne Lyons. Finally, we have elected an intelligent person to help run this city!
Unfortunately, she was out-voted by the good ole” boys. Why can”t more people like Suzanne Lyons step up and run for city council? We need people who haven”t quit caring about the youth. We need people who still remember why parks and pools are important places for our kids to go.
We need people who still value education. Stop re-electing the good ole” boys!
Carol Swanson
Lakeport
