Letter: Florence resident defends town
To the Editor:
I am filled with disgust whenever I read or hear comments made by anyone casting aspersions upon my town, its leaders, and the people here.
It's unfortunate that most people do not investigate insinuations and accusations, but trust others for information. Sometimes trust is abused and leads to people being upset, believing that they are somehow being taken advantage of or tricked.
The Florence City Council is made up of elected individuals: Ed Robinson, Sr., Randy Mills, Bryan Harper, and Dan Ludwig, and mayor Susan Klassen. Over the years they have held the offices, I've read comments posted on the Internet worded to imply the council was indulging in secret criminal behavior.
The council members are respectable people and aside from Sue, it has been their hometown all their or their families' lives. It is repulsive for anyone to suggest they have any ill will toward it. As with past councils who received like criticism and grief when they held the same offices, they are doing their best with what they have.
Since the council implemented the system of law enforcement we have here, it seemed like an ingenious answer and a breath of fresh air. The bonus is that it would not cost the city in salaries and benefit packages, and due to money collected from fines and various grant money. In fact, do we know the detective is not part of a program for a certain purpose, such as trying to extinguish the meth problem found in small towns?
I need to go to a council meeting, ask the question and voice my support. Have people who like to complain about the "speed trap" gone to the city court night to find out just what the tickets are? I happened to see one laying on the counter the other day for 70 in a 55. Officer King said they write them when someone is going 10 and above over the limit. I remember people complaining about drivers who would roll through stop signs or someone getting clocked going 80 mph past Town & Country Cafe. I may be the oddball here, but I happen to like people obeying the law in and around my town!!
People used to like visiting Town & Country Cafe? Maybe people coming from Marion decided to help support one of the nice new restaurants in their own town, or didn't like the long detour to get here, or the constantly rising gas prices. Maybe some will come back.
People used to come from wherever to buy meat at the Florence Market? Now, it's Wilbur's Market and the Florence Market meat moved to Peabody! Possibly people go there instead.
It's also not as much the council keeping a store alive as it is the other 600 people in town and others in the area who could shop there, but don't. They go to Peabody, Newton, Emporia, or Marion.
We have a beautiful new Doyle Creek Mercantile store that is amazing to see open in downtown Florence. It's like a gift to the town on Main Street. It would be wonderful to see other storefronts light up, but that situation goes back many years to a council who set in motion exactly what we are left with now.
Florence is not quite at its "last gasping breath," but we do not having a local economy and industry to support the people here. It's not something we relish, and those of us who love our hometown are constantly hoping for ideas or something to magically happen. Most of the magic we need is for the people of Florence to stop contributing and listening to the tearing down of the town and people in it and try to be our town's "public relations" ambassadors! Let's focus on the good things, and if you can't find anything to brag about or love about Florence, follow the last guy and leave it and shut up about it!
Jackie Robinson Sigwing
Florence
