LETTERS

TO THE EDITOR

Questioning Florence

To the editor:

Not only is the mayor of Florence trying to quiet the community by removing community comments during council meetings, but now the councilmen will not answer questions following meetings.

After the vote July 8 to replace the current auditor of 15 years with a new auditor that will cost more money over the next three years, I tried to ask councilman Matt Williams a question.

There were still citizens in the building, along with the mayor and all councilmen.

He informed me he could not answer my questions because there was a quorum.

The citizens of Florence are growing weary with the leadership in town. So many questions need to be answered.

Why did they fire a hard-working city employee of 10 years to then hire the mayor’s wife?

Why did councilman Williams move to take all water contracts off the table and move towards eminent domain without the council even seeing a copy of the contract?

Their actions resulted in more than $48,000 in legal fees.

Why is it OK to delete minutes of a meeting or not follow parliamentary procedures?

Why did they raise our utility rates to only discuss raising them again less than six months later?

Why did the council hire the mayor’s wife full time, training directly under her husband, without accepting other applications from qualified people to serve as water operator?

Why, in the last six months, has the council approved spending over $14,000 for three trucks and $124,000 on a new trash truck, and then given city workers raises, before trying to analyze and understand the budget?

Why did councilman Williams question and blame the current auditor as to why two clients did not get a rate increase when it was the responsibility of the utility clerk, the mayor’s wife, yet she has not been questioned?

Why did the council push for a new auditor after the current auditor of 15 years cautioned them as to how they spend their money and conduct their business?

Why didn’t the council ask all auditors the same questions during the interview process?

Why was there absolutely no discussion prior to councilmen Williams making a motion to hire a different auditor?

Although I do not live in Florence, I do have a business that generates tax dollars for your community.

I ask you these questions because the citizens of Florence need to be aware of what is going on in town and how this council is spending your tax dollars.

Start asking questions and make your voice heard in this next election.

Sara Dawson, Cedar Point