Letters to the Editor

Store helpful for those with limited incomes

The 99 Cents Only Store has been such a blessing to those low-income families, those on fixed or limited incomes, those on federal disability and others in need of an escape from Albertsons’ overpriced commodities.

In the meantime, the city “fathers” have deemed it necessary to inflict a 40 percent increase in utilities on Boulder City citizens. Shame, shame on you, Boulder City. You are totally out of touch. We don’t all make the salaries you do at City Hall. That kind of an increase should be illegal.

Marilyn Burger

Mayor overreacted; put priorities on ideas

First I want to thank the mayor and City Council for their devotion to public service, at times a thankless job. Last month must have seemed especially thankless, based on Mayor (Rod) Woodbury’s commentary. I think the mayor overreacted to the last council meeting, undoing the good points in his letter by closing with a quote about “evil” — is that really what he saw from the dais?

Viewing our City Council meetings reminds me of Norman Rockwell’s 1943 “Freedom of Speech” painting. Our City Council meetings are nonviolent, and the worst language or most impassioned tone I’ve seen in Boulder City are mild in comparison to what we see in national news.

Council meetings are among the least of our worries for civic embarrassment. We’ve been prominently in the news for much worse: costly lawsuits filed by and against the city, a former animal control officer and so on. Some of our past embarrassments were fueled by trying to keep up appearances before grappling with a real problem. We need to be careful about putting too high a priority on appearance.

While I think the mayor’s commentary overreacted, I agree with him in one respect. I hope we follow Adm. Hyman Rickover’s advice and discuss ideas first, then events or things, before talking about people. There is plenty to work through with Interstate 11 and other developments, about the ideas or vision we want for Boulder City’s future, and things like budgets and planning details, while avoiding personal criticism. To shape our future, keep commenting on the big ideas and all the details.

Jay Piper

Time to end hateful talk in city

We applaud Mayor (Rod) Woodbury’s recent commentary. We have not always agreed with decisions made by our mayor and the City Council, but we are in full agreement with the mayor in calling for the end of the spurious allegations and the hateful, malicious, bigoted, slanderous and childish rhetoric that is prevalent at our City Council meetings and on social media.

Boulder City deserves better.

Ross and Susan Johnson

Mayor’s ego, council members deserve no respect

I read the mayor’s opinion article, “The Shameful shame game has lasting repercussions.” There are many of the mayor’s statements I would like to address, but the paper’s 300-word limit won’t allow me to.

I have lived in this city for about 30 years. I used to have great respect for the police department, but not now. I even used to like many of the city’s bureaucrats, but not now. (Well, one, the assistant city clerk.) I had some respect for the City Council, but not now. I can understand if disgruntled citizens showed no respect for the council.

The mayor … used the “rest of the world” four times. He used this phrase to say these rancorous people had shamed Boulder City. Wow. China, Russia, Brazil and many others are enthralled with our council meetings. But he goes even further with his hyperbole in the phrase “the rest of Clark County and beyond.” This sounds like a “Star Trek” episode. The whole universe is enthralled with our council meetings. What an ego.

All politicians and bureaucrats want to control the people. In this council meeting, the mayor lost control. And this rubbed his ego raw. The people cannot do this to him. We are to gently massage his ego. But even if the rest of the council is sheepish, the mayor will stand alone against our citizenry. Aren’t we so lucky.

The mayor is correct; evil will triumph if good people do nothing. Maybe this is what the public was doing in a less-than-elegant way. However, evil may still be trying to drive good people away from City Council meetings — so it can commit more political shenanigans.

Del Kidd

Display shows respect for city’s elected officials lacking

Our city has gone to a great deal of work to elect our City Council members and mayor.

It is hard for me to understand the complete lack of respect and disgrace that our public has shown at our last council meeting.

First, we had a group putting on a presentation that could possibly help our city with the new bypass. When it was finished, the presenters had done a good job. The presentation was not to be voted on. The meeting was just something the city should be thinking about.

But some people in the audience showed a complete disrespect to those giving the presentation. Speakers against the presentation resorted to name calling and singling out council members via their comments when you are supposed to be addressing the council in its entirety.

Some people laughed and clapped and made a lot of noise in support for the speakers, again showing complete disrespect toward our council.

You can just imagine how we looked to other cities or people who might choose to visit or even move to our city.

Edward Waymire