Taxpayers deserve better treatment

Submitted, letter to the editor
Published: June 5, 2008

As a member of the silent majority, who follows the local news and rolls her eyes at the arguments of the City Council and its inability to help this city solve serious matters, I must stand up and say, “Whoa!” Have Frank Lucente and Tim Williams forgotten that the taxpaying citizens of Waynesboro fund the city manager’s salary and, therefore, deserve an explanation regarding what is happening to this position (“Walker quits post,” May 28)?
I voted, but not for any member of the incoming council. I am not an insider who knows all the little details about who does what and who follows whom. But I care deeply about my hometown and strongly believe the taxpayers of this city deserve to know more about this situation, which smells so badly.
If Lucente and Williams feel they acted correctly, but do not want their decision regarding Doug Walker discussed in the press, they are hereby strongly encouraged to use the press, the airways and the U.S. mail to inform all Waynesboro citizens what they do have in mind and what benefits they do foresee for our city by this change.
What kind of person do they envision for the city manager’s position and what responsibilities do they feel are most important for him to address? Rather than blindly following along, we citizens have the right to – and should demand – some answers.
The new council majority is on the hot seat. They need to show us action and progress. They also need to find a way, through thoughtful, progressive direction of our city, to work in harmony with Vice Mayor Nancy Dowdy and Councilwoman Lorie Smith for the good of all the citizens.
We taxpayers deserve better treatment from our council now. This corner of the silent majority seeks answers.
Jane Deaton
Waynesboro