Day 16 and counting down: How an unnamed citizen really feels

Sally Gump and Kim Bauer are two very brave women. They have worked hard to help educate the citizens of this community as to what is really going on with our city council. They have done this in spite of the personal expenses they have incurred, and the attacks on their characters by Barlow, Morten, and others. They are exceptional citizens and we should be thankful that they had the guts to bring their issues to the public.

I have personally attended several council meetings, and encourage others to do the same. It doesn't take long to see and hear what these councilors deem as important. They may be sage enough to recruit another councilor to champion their own need, such as the BMX track, which supports the Barlow-owned bike shop, that is being pushed forward by councilor Morten. I wish more people could have attended the city council meeting a while back when Barlow verbally attacked Mayor Peterson regarding a telephone conversation they had prior to Barlow talking with the local media, when writing an article on the council. After listening to Barlow's tirade, Peterson very calmly replied that he recalled their conversation differently. Barlow's answer was, "Well, I WAS heavily medicated at the time". Personally, I don't think media interviews should be granted by council members when they are heavily medicated. Makes me wonder what else he does while in this "medicated" state. Maybe that explains some things after all! It certainly raises a question of good judgment on his part. And speaking of good judgment, perhaps Barlow and Morten, when faced with the recall effort, would have made a better judgment call to spend their money on a public relations firm to handle the recall, rather than spending their money on a lawsuit and lawyers. Isn't that part of the problem with our country today, everyone just a little too eager to sue for whatever silly reason they come up with? Is this a sign of how they handle conflict or situations that are uncomfortable to them? It makes one wonder. And I too have seen and heard Morten's condescending talk. He is a master at telling people what they want to hear. It doesn't matter if it is the opposite of what he told someone else the day before. The thought of him becoming mayor of this city literally keeps me awake at night.

In closing, I applaud the efforts of Sally and Kim. Whether you agree with the recall or not, you should acknowledge these women for their efforts in trying to keep the citizens of St. Helens informed and knowledgeable. And if you have your doubts, please attend one of the upcoming council meetings. They are definitely an eye-opener!