Still people who care

To the Editor:

On Monday, while on my way to work, driving down Blue Earth Avenue in Fairmont, I saw something that impressed me. Three young men were in the street in front of Freedom. When I got close enough to see, one was sweeping and the other picking up glass off the street. The third was watching for traffic.

I don’t know if they broke the glass or not, but they were cleaning it up. They didn’t walk on and expect someone else to take care of it. They probably saved several flat tires.

I would like to say thank you and I appreciate what you did.

Lori Meacham

Fairmont

Who twists the facts?

To the Editor:

If any of my fellow Fairmont citizens were betting on whether I would respond to the letter of Terry Anderson in last Friday’s edition of the Sentinel, I would say that perhaps those on both sides of the bet are right. Anderson’s letter speaks for itself, and if anyone “twists” facts, he is the master. So I am really not responding to this little pathetic child. But a couple of his so-called “facts” are so blatantly untrue of me, I felt I must write.

Every trusted friend I have spoken with since last Friday has advised that his letter speaks to what kind of man he is, and to just ignore him. That was my first instinct also, but his words — “Your total disregard for facts and care for your fellow man shows an extremely hard and calloused individual who knows nothing about any of these issues … These ladies hearing your insensitive remarks by themselves might run and hide, as is your intention” — spurs me to respond. If there is any “twisting” going on here, there is the twisting.

The reason I first got involved in all of this was because of the despicable way in which the manipulators — Fairmont City Council members Hawkins, Lubenow and Cyphers — nastily went about throwing a 30-year employee of the city of Fairmont out the door with no warning, despite a history of being a trusted and good employee. You just do not treat other human beings this way. Then, immediately, they commenced to do the same thing to our city administrator. Many in the community, in public and behind the scenes, stepped in and said enough. We even tried to recall Hawkins.

I feel nothing but compassion for the two young ladies who came forward, and never did I berate either. It is not who I am as a person. In fact, if you believe you have been wronged, then please continue to stand up and speak to that, and hold public officials responsible. You will have me on your side.

Please remember there are two sides to any issue and that Libby Bloomquist is under a gag order not to speak about anything while she was City Attorney. Though that has not stopped the manipulators from trashing her at every opportunity until the most recent City Council meeting, when they finally followed their non-disclosure agreement.

Then Anderson was so egotistical to call his group “Guardian Angels” of the two young ladies. Anyone who perhaps feels they did not get a fair shake from former City Attorney Bloomquist, if they are thinking Anderson, Hawkins, Lubenow and Cyphers are acting on their behalf, please, please run away fast. These four are only out for themselves, and have proved over and over that they do not care about the feelings of other human beings.

Anderson was clearly attempting to bully me to shut me up. Then he accuses me of the same. The audacity simply astounds me. I am not bullied. I am in this for the long haul. They may achieve their goal of also ousting city administrator Humpal, but there is also a group here in Fairmont that is going to make sure they dot their i’s and cross their t’s doing so. You will not so easily get to oust a long-term employee without just cause again.

Jack H. Hansen

Fairmont