Something sure stinks

To the Editor:

Something stinks in Fairmont, and it’s not the drinking water any more. Three City Council members appear to be working together to fire the city administrator.

After following the fiasco for several months, I have to wonder just what Mike Humpal did to so thoroughly annoy Tom Hawkins that he is going to such great lengths to get rid of him. The business about Ruth Cyphers’ resolution sealed the deal for me: the Gang of Three obviously knew what was in it long before it was presented to the council, and their denials ring very hollow.

It looks more and more to me that the City Attorney had to go not through anything she did but just because she was in the way. I don’t think she would have stood for what’s going on in trying to fire Humpal. If it weren’t for the new attorney putting his foot down, the council would have violated the law six ways from Sunday and Humpal would be gone.

There’s gotta be some sort of legal grounds to recall the Gang of Three. Perhaps someone will find an attorney who can come up with a rationale. As things stand now, if someone handed me a recall petition, I’d sign and ask others to do so. This baloney has to stop.

If Hawkins really thinks Humpal must go, then he needs to stand up in public and explain why — while not breaking the law to do it. Otherwise, this is looking more and more like a personal vendetta, and it’s going to hurt Fairmont badly. We don’t need to get a reputation like Lake Elmo, but that’s where we’re headed.

Jay Maynard

Fairmont

Council needs change

To the Editor:

I have come to the conclusion that the Fairmont City Council needs change, more so than the city staff.

When the current council was elected, I was hopeful that we’d have strong leadership and a focused effort to bring new development and growth to Fairmont. In retrospect, I was naive.

Now we have little productive business being done, and I’m not sure what select council members think will be better after the chaotic changes they’re advocating. It seems they’re focused on forcing their will upon us, not seeking to build consensus and act as servant-leaders should.

What has happened to discussions about growing higher education opportunities, recreation facilities and attracting new businesses to Fairmont? Where are the discussions about public safety and infrastructure repair and improvement?

Instead, we are subjected to an ongoing eight-week litany of nonsense and foolishness.

After naivety ends, wisdom develops. Let’s be wiser as we accept responsibility for electing this council. Then, let us put forward more candidates who will provide better debate and choice for the next council elections. We have no one to blame but ourselves for this current mess.

Joe Loughmiller

Fairmont

Sad to see it happen

To the Editor:

As a former businessman and having served for 18 years as president of the Fairmont Chamber of Commerce, working to build a consensus and pride in our community, it saddens me to see our community self-destruct as the result of the actions of three councilors.

Bob Wallace

Fairmont