Letters to the Editor, March 14

Words matter when campaigning

I have often heard the old adage: “Say what you mean, and mean what you say.” To do otherwise creates, in my opinion, intellectual dishonesty. And honesty is important, especially in civic elections; after all, we want candidates to be honest with us.

So I question the words used that I am seeing on some of the campaign materials for a candidate for Boulder City mayor. In particular, I find it troublesome that a key line of the campaign material identifies the candidate as, and I quote: “An Independent Voice.”

Now, that sounds good in principle; after all, we want all of our elected officials to be independent thinkers. But this particular candidate has, and has had, support and endorsement by an organization that is a special interest group in the form of a community alliance; as a matter of fact, it is the largest special interest group in Boulder City.

So when you are promoted by, supported by and elected by a special interest group, you are usually the opposite of “independent”; I expect that the like-minded folks in the alliance group will expect the candidate to do their bidding. As a matter of fact, I believe the candidate affirms this theory in his small printed signage, and again I quote: “He is for us!” Who is the “us”? It’s not me, or my immediate group of friends and family. I can only assume the “us” are the special interest group alliance that supports and endorses him. I wish his sign would have said “He is for Boulder City.”

Perhaps he should remove “independent” from his advertising. That would be honest. After all, words matter.

Kevin O’Keefe

Sound fiscal decisions needed

Only about 5 percent, maybe 800 Boulder City residents, regularly use our aquatic center. It is never crowded, except during summer bubble down days. During the winter bubble up days it is always the same names on the sign-in sheets — very low usage. I doubt that Mayor (Rod) Woodbury or Boulder City Parks and Recreation Department Director Roger Hall have ever enjoyed a nice scalding hot or freezing cold shower there.

Spending an additional $1 million per year for the next five years could easily provide modern locker rooms and showers, which would nicely entice greater community use — with money left over to upgrade the physical plant closer to modern specs. Continuing generous maintenance expenditures are a necessity for any such public facility, expenditures which have long been seriously neglected by Woodbury, Hall and the Boulder City Council.

Yet Woodbury and Councilman (Warren) Harhay want to spend $90 million for a new one — the most expensive project ever considered for our town. Harhay said I was pulling numbers out of thin air at the December council meeting after I spoke. Truth: Preferred version $40 million; interest for 30 years,$39 million; $10 million expected cost overruns, quoted from Hall at the November senior center meeting equals $89 million. Oops, I was $1 million over.

Harhay also said nobody worries about the interest cost when buying a home. True. But you cannot resell a used aquatic center when you want another one. Boulder City will buy that interest, also. Councilman (Kiernan) McManus and council candidate Judy Duchaine are the only voices of fiscal reason I hear on this ridiculously expensive, low-usage project for our town of only 16,000 people.

I urge all Boulder City voters to study the facts on this issue and vote for responsible leadership.

Fred Dexter

Experience counts at the polls

My name is Pepper Coombes; I moved here in 1950 and was raised here through my kid days. I still live here and always have owned my homes. Now I would like to talk about the re-election and election of our folks running for office — City Council and mayor.

We need everyone to vote and vote for who you think would be of help. This city has run very well since it’s beginning in 1960. We have had some ups and downs but we did win and have now a great place to live and raise our children.

One thing we have to observe for our voting is those that can help us stay in the straight line for success and avoid those that only think they can. We don’t need those that have lived here only a couple of years and think they can fix us. Sorry, no way. Younger ones that might have learned something in economics doesn’t mean they are ready to help this town with our problems.

Peggy Leavitt has been around and comes with great experience. The others wanting to join in don’t have a clue of what it really takes to keep this city on a high level. (Rod) Woodbury has the experience in operating our direction but the others trying to don’t have the experience. They think they do because they worked as City Council for a term. Sorry folks, it takes a lot more than that.

Let’s make sure we look for winners and not just wantas — a one-term council member isn’t enough to run the mayor’s job for the city.

Let’s all vote, but be careful who you vote for. Some guy who is 21 don’t get it, along with a bank leader who doesn’t get it.

Pepper Coombes