Let’s turn up the heat

To the Editor:

Well, they fooled us. The Gang of Three, back in July, felt the heat and publicly promised to back off their vendetta against Fairmont city administrator Mike Humpal. They said they were done sowing division and discord. They told us they were going to keep their heads down and concentrate on doing the business of the city.

Until Monday night, that is. That’s when they got around to dropping the hammer. No reason, no explanation, no comment at all, just boom. We’re left wondering just exactly what grounds they have for running Humpal off. I understand that, as a personnel matter, they can’t give us the evaluation they ginned up to excuse the act, but surely they can tell us something?

I hope Humpal, who’s not bound by confidentiality on his own appraisal, lets the public know just what is going on. The people of Fairmont deserve answers, not mealy-mouthed generalities — and at this point, if Tom Hawkins told me the sky was blue, I’d put on a raincoat and go outside to look.

Until we get solid answers, we need to turn up the heat. If I was in the market for a vehicle, I’d cross Hawkins Chevrolet off my list, and I encourage others to do so. I’m not likely to need the services of Ruth Cyphers’ and Randy Lubenow’s companies, but the same would go for them. This seems to be the only thing they recognize.

This has been a concerted, long-term effort. It’s past time they justified their vendetta.

Jay Maynard

Fairmont

Boycott Hawkins

To the Editor:

Just when you think it is safe to miss a council meeting, the majority trio (council members Tom Hawkins, Randy Lubenow and Ruth Cyphers) strike again. I don’t have to write a long letter this time because I can refer readers to the Sentinel editorial of Tuesday, Oct. 15. It said things far more eloquently than I can.

Though I would add: Many in this city tried to recall the town’s No. 1 tyrant, Tom Hawkins, a few months back. He was ready for us. It seems our City Charter is outdated and state law would not allow us to recall him. But there must be some way we can get rid of this triad of tyranny. I said in my last letter they better dot their “i’s” and cross their “t’s” and, of course, they have not. I will work personally and with any others who wish to see if there is any legal way to shut down this absolute embarrassment and have them thrown out the side door of City Hall. I refuse to wait until we can vote out these monsters at the polls. They will bankrupt Fairmont if we don’t stop them now.

Until we can figure out how to toss them out, we should do what we can. I don’t know what Lubenow and Cyphers do for a living, but I know that Hawkins Chevrolet can be boycotted. I suggest that no one buy any more cars or have any more repair work done at Tom Hawkins’ business. We have another Chevrolet dealership nearby in Truman. I am sure it would like the business. Hawkins needs to pay for lying in July when he said he would back off the city administrator. No one wants to trade with a lying backstabber.

As a citizen, my sincerest apology to City Administrator Mike Humpal, who is now on paid leave. The voters made a big mistake when they voted these three in. We should elect adults into positions of trust, not children.

Jack H. Hansen

Fairmont