'Come Live With Us'-Think Not!
2nd Article From "Average Joe"
May 3, 2006
I am glad to see you are back yet for another bit of beautiful news
concerning the wonderful town of Carterville and the never-ending saga of our life
and times here. I would again like to thank Mr. Vaughn for allowing me to submit
articles and passing them on the keep the public aware of how our great city is
prospering. Well at least some of them, at the expense of others rights though. I
would like to raise my glass to Mr. Vaughn and thank him for standing up and fighting
for his rights and the rights of others. He has cast a light on the darkness that has
been in this town for many, many years, consuming it street-by-street and
household-by-household.
The time has come for a change in this town. It has been under the 'same
ole, same ole' rule long enough. We need a fresh new captain at the wheel of this
vessel before it sinks completely. Someone who can give the town back to the people
so ALL have a voice, not just a few. Someone who can stop spending the taxpayer's
dollars on things that only benefit the few in this town and help all who live here.
Someone who will thin out the 'extra' positions that are not needed in this town. It
seems there are some positions in this town that have been made up so that the few
can remain on the payroll of the city and have all the benefits.
One such person is Mr. D. He was our chief of police for years until he
RETIRED. Key word RETIRED. The city then decided to create a position to keep him on
the payroll and keep the benefits coming. They made him 'Ordinance Enforcer.' He
drives around this great city and hands out tickets to those who don't put a tarp
over their boats and cars. He submits summons to those who have grass that needs
mowed. He does this when he is not fishing on our time, but something I have noticed,
the ones that get the tickets and summons are those that aren't in the 'click.'
When Mr. Vaughn received his last letter from the city concerning his
yard, which is kept clean, unless it rains, then his backyard floods and looks like
the local swimming pool for the neighborhood, (Mr. Vaughn has complained and it
has fallen on deaf ears every time!) he contacted me concerning this and of
course I pointed out a lot on the East side that had had brush piles on it for over a
year. There is a tree down in one of the lots and the grass grows so fast and the
owner decides to bush hog it once in a while. Does he get a summons? NO! Guess why!
He is a city employee. This is what I am talking about. If you are going to make
ordinances and enforce them, first make sure they are legitimate, second enforce them
on all residents, not just the few that aren't in the 'click.'
My question is, when all city employees RETIRE, is the city going to
keep them on the payroll for the rest of their life? Are we, the taxpayers, going to
have to support them for the rest of their life while the seniors in this town who
are drawing Social Security can't even afford to buy a hot meal? Why can't the city
employees, who have worked like everyone else draw their own Social Security like
everyone else. Could it be because the city employees know how this town is being run
and this is some way to keep it quiet? Pay them off? This is not the Senate! You do
not deserve the 'special benefits' after retirement.
We have volunteers on the Fire Department, as do many surrounding towns.
The key word here is VOLUNTEER. These men and women do not get paid, they do it
because they want to keep the town safe and I thank them for that. They give of their
own time to help others, risking many different dangers of the job to protect others.
If Mr. D. is so devoted to 'keeping the town clean and presentable,' then VOLUNTEER!
Take the money used for his salary and apply somewhere else, where it is NEEDED! I
just can't see spending money on useless or abused positions like this.
I don't know how Mr. Mausey sees this town in 10 years, but I see all of
the people that are not in the click driven out or losing all they have worked for
because of the Eminent Domain law. This town is so worried about expanding out that
the inner city is getting ignored. We have right's too!
Mr. Vaughn I would like to thank you again for standing up for our
rights and educating the public.
Until next time…..
Average Joe
Helping fight for the rights of all.
© 2008 James Vaughn