OttawaHerald.com -- Community News. Community Connections.

	Franklin County, Kansas, USA

Subscriber Services Home Delivery Gift Subscription Stop-Start Delivery Missing Paper Back Issues Newsstand Locations Shopper Locations

Advertising Services Manage Your Account Place a Classified Ad Place a Display Ad Advertise Online Business Finder Directory

Other Services Submit News Laminated Items Photos & Keepsakes Article Archives Contact Us History of the Herald Our Policies

Suggest a poll topic

2009-11-21

2009-11-18

2009-11-05

Agriculture

Lifestyles

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 12:00 PM

Cooperation is good as long as it stays in public

Positive spin

Pomona City Council meetings have been raucous affairs since the new mayor, Joann Hancock, and council members took their seats in May, following the April election.

Their heated exchanges, which included members walking out while meetings were in session and shouting and attempts to censor each others’ comments, shocked and bewildered some and disgusted others.

The council’s complexion, however, changed recently after two council members, Keith Larsen and Joe Goracke, resigned. Their seats were filled by two former council members — Marie Seneca and Don Lockaby — who also were the next two highest vote getters in that same April election.

The new council members promise to listen and try to work together, although they may not necessarily agree with the mayor and others on the council. At first blush, that may seem like an improvement, but is it really?

Having a three-ring circus environment isn’t always pleasant, but at least it is out in the open where the people’s business is supposed to be conducted. If the recent change serves to push that wrangling behind closed doors and council members put on the proverbial “happy face” for council meetings, then the people aren’t served better — just differently.

Allegations of open meeting violations and even the resignation of the city’s attorney point to endemic challenges. While the group worked through some issues, such as construction of a new Casey’s convenience store and Dollar General store, other issues may be percolating just under the surface.

Dissension isn’t all bad if it helps bring all concerns to the surface to be addressed logically and appropriately.

Agreeing to walk away from an issue that still isn’t settled to the majority’s satisfaction isn’t serving the public good. Ignoring significant issues for the sake of presenting a united front publicly can be just as bad as dissension.

Uniting the community is an admirable goal for the council. Communicating civilly, respectfully and knowledgeably in order to serve the entire community’s best interest makes the most sense. Pomona has a lot of positive things going for it. Those things speak for themselves even without putting a positive spin on them.

— Jeanny Sharp,

editor and publisher