Manager/Charter recommendation was not unanimous

Editor,

I'm writing in response to the article on Polson voters choosing a city manager of mayor. I disagree with some of the information in the article on the Polson City Government Commission's recommendation.

It's incorrect, and misleads voters by implying the commission is unanimous in support of the Manager/Charter form. It should have read the majority of the commission recommends hiring a manager, etc. After the discussion we've had on this issue, I was more than disappointed to read this article. I argued with them on the ballot language that it must show it's the majority who is promoting this. The ballot now shows the majority promotes the Manager/Charter.

The Final Report has been available at the City Hall and the Library since Sept. 18. It has not been advertised as being available to the public. The report had a charge of $3.90 a copy. This was discussed at our meeting. I was opposed to the public being charged this fee, as taxpayers paid for this Commission. It was agreed they shouldn't be charged for the report. I asked the clerk to put a sign up at City Hall and the Library that the report was free, which was done. I urge the voters/public to read this before voting.

I question the need for a manager. Polson is rated a Class III city (less than 5,000 people). The range of costs to hire one — more property taxes in addition to the levies already passed (fire, police, city employees, medical premium increase, schools, others), rate increases and how many average citizens here can afford all of these increases, plus costs of expanding infrastructure/services to accommodate more subdivisions? How will residents within city limits be affected?

Benefits of charter: The obligation to citizens is in the Oath of Office and duties defined by constitutions/laws. The examples of Libby and other cities have been repeated over and over, but nothing has been specified as to what Polson would do with a charter. Opportunity, efficiency and flexibility also have been repeated, but unspecified as to how it would be applied, and for whose benefit.

I disagree that we "have so much say" in local government. Unless one is on the agenda, no questions are allowed during public comment time, only comments. At the Oct. 2 council meeting (public comment time) I asked Jules Clavadetscher a question about his e-mail on the Study Commission. He didn't answer. The mayor said I could ask him after the meeting. The time was for comments. Afterwards, outside the building with people around, I asked him if he could answer the question now. He said, "No." Do we have public participation in government?

What is the present Mayor/Council form? The surveys we mailed out in July 2005 said the current form was Mayor/Council. Was it?

Questions can be asked of the commission members. My phone is 883-2849. It wasn't until Sept. 14, 2006, that the four-member majority voted to allow my "Letter to the People" to be included in the Final Report (Freedom of Speech?). My two-page comments are at the end of the final Report.

Elsa Duford,

Polson