One of the advantages of being an independent local newspaper, operated and written by folks who actually live in the neighborhood is the ability to place events in context. Instead of pontificating from on high and far away, we actually know what is going on not only in the council and other government meetings, but also what people are saying in the restaurants, bars, shops, and standing in line at the post office.
The World would like Mayor Gowan to “drop his vendetta over the city administrator’s salary. The council granted Administrator Charlie Hill a raise in 2008, while Gowan was out of office. Gowan contends Hill misled the council about salaries in comparable cities, and he wants an investigation.
Hill offers a plausible explanation. But even if she didn’t, a statute of limitations should apply. The 2011 council has no business second-guessing the 2008 council’s personnel decisions.”
Since The World only recently began covering Lakeside issues, the editorial board would have no way of knowing that Mayor Gowan is NOT acting on a vendetta, but is instead attempting to fulfill the will of the people. Public records indicate that while the earlier council approved Hill’s salary, she played ‘bait and switch’ raising the base salary without council approval.
Her ‘penciled in’ raise amounted to $10,752.24 per year, just under the amount designated as the 2011 Federal Poverty Level. According to the American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau, 18.3 percent of Lakeside’s residents are living each year on roughly the same amount that Hill increased her salary. This raise has been a topic of discussion in the community since it happened. But, the editorial board wouldn’t know that since they don’t live here nor have they taken the time to understand our local issues.
The World’s editorial goes on to say that “Lakeside will have a hard time retaining employees if their job security hinges on every election.” This is the ultimate false statement. Elections have nothing to do with Hill’s job security. The people on the street, none of whom have the ability to pencil in a raise when they want it, simply want from Hill, what they want from their elected representatives – Accountability.
Those of us who live in Lakeside are used to being laughed at, and sometimes it seems that the laughter from The World is loudest when the citizens are working to hold our officials accountable.
Electing those who promise to look into issues the constituency is concerned about may be imperfect and old-fashioned, but it is what we have.
And instead of celebrating a community that feels free enough and is involved enough to exercise their constitutional rights to be free of trespass, vote, petition, and yes, recall — The World continues a pattern of denigration and mockery.
When The World’s editorial board uses opinion to bash our Mayor for attempting to do what a majority of the citizens elected him to do, it is easy to wonder to what end they are bothering to offer an opinion. But, this is the same newspaper that called our editor a ‘nettlesome crusader’ for attempting to force the former mayor and council to follow the law.
We don’t presume to know who those on The World’s editorial board are speaking to – but it is clear that they have nothing to say to those of us who live in Lakeside.
