Letters to the editor, April 25

Breakout

The first expense report for City Council races is in. It lists donations and expenses for Boulder City’s municipal election. I remember what it is like to receive money for a campaign when running for city council. In Boulder City, money does not necessarily mean votes. In 1997 when I was the incumbent mayor, I received $20,000 while coming in last in the general election.

I remain happy to see that Boulder City has not changed. I know from experience that money does not always imply that a candidate is best representing the will of the citizens of Boulder City. That will is represented by the voters’ consciousness the day he or she votes. We pay attention here in Boulder City. The will of the people has been reflected once again. That is what makes a healthy democracy function.

There is the race for mayor. What a disparity between votes and money there is in that race. The incumbent mayor, Rodney Woodbury, received over $40,000 while tallying almost the same number of votes as Kiernan McManus, who received only $4,600.

In the race for City Council, there is the obvious correlation between Peggy Leavitt and money; she raised $18,539 while Claudia Bridges only received $458 while coming in second place.

I am really happy to have 34 percent turnout for our primary election and wish the six candidates well in the upcoming general election. The general election will be even more important with the ballot initiatives. See you at the polls.

Eric L. Lundgaard

Timing of complaint suspect

If Fritz McDonald is so concerned about the Boulder City Community Alliance why did he seek its endorsement during his run for council in 2017? Had McDonald gotten the BCCA’s endorsement would he still have a problem with the group now? Did McDonald give any thought to how badly an unsubstantiated/unsupported claim reflects on the community when it reaches Carson City? Did McDonald consider the message his complaint sends to the residents: Free speech and freedom of assembly will be tolerated only so long as they are used to praise and support the incumbents? Is McDonald’s complaint so very different from what the city complained of when it sued eight of our neighbors for sponsoring advisory ballot questions?

For McDonald to smear Councilman (Kiernan) McManus’ good name, and additionally to bring in another upstanding candidate, is just not a good practice for McDonald.

Adele Sherwood

Action seems like ‘sour grapes’

Fritz McDonald should look up the definition of PAC (political action committee). By every definition, a PAC raises money. The Boulder City Community Alliance has never been involved with raising one thin dime. It really even has no distinct membership since anyone who lives in, or is even interested in the future of Boulder City, can attend their meetings.

Mayor (Rod) Woodbury himself has attended the meetings and answered questions. Does that make him a member of the “PAC”? Several local businessmen have attended the meetings. Are they members of the “PAC”? The Boulder City Community Alliance existed long before Kiernan McManus or James Adams ever attended a meeting or even decided to run for City Council.

Recently, the BCCA invited candidates for mayor and City Council to speak and be compared by anybody that wanted to hear them speak. Boulder City residents were allowed to vote on the candidates they favored to endorse. Kiernan McManus, James Adams and Claudia Bridges won that vote. None of those candidates formed the BCCA.

Fritz McDonald lost his last election bid to be a city councilman. His complaint smacks of sour grapes. This complaint more or less proves he shouldn’t even be on the Boulder City Planning Commission.

Ernie Koontz