Only the shadow knows

Dear Editor,
I am glad the City Commission had the backbone to vote against the Director of Public Works in his proposal for a flashing sign. $18,000 for a flashing sign seems a little over the top for something that isn't needed. Then he comes back and wants to spend $180,000 on a new fuel truck for the airport. There is no doubt a different truck is needed. Shouldn't this vehicle been upgraded under the former Director of Public Works? By the way he is now Assistant City Manager/Parks and Recreation Director and MR Do It All.
Oh I almost forgot Frontenac resident.
I recently received the new salary schedule for all city employees. This is public record and anybody can pick one up at city hall. If you do pick one up be prepared for a big shock. The amount of assistants to the assistants is unreal and all at high wages. I wonder how many of our so-called leaders actually have the education and certifications to do their jobs. Some of the highest paid probably couldn't qualify to do the same job in another city. The taxpayers keep having to pay these high wages. When you give a 3% raise to someone making $90,000 we are talking big money. For the employee working out in the cold and heat or in an office trying make ends meet that same 2% or 3 percent doesn’t amount to much. When you review the salaries unseen perks and benefits aren't listed. All the big dogs have these unseen perks.
We pay an Assistant Director of Public Works $64,000 a year. And he comes up with the bright idea to put in the city code no hedge should be over 3 feet. high. I don't know what planet he is from but sure hasn't ever had any hedge on his property. Luckily the Commissioners shot down this brilliant idea. If that is all he has to do may be he can go dig ditches in his spare time which he seems to have a lot of. I don't have an issue with the pay of the person out working hard everyday whether it be a Firefighter, Policeman on the street, street worker or SOME office workers. These are the real people that keep the city running and operating. Incidentally has the Public Works employee caught stealing ever been fired or did he just get a raise. Why is a retired employee of the Public Works Department riding around in a city truck? What is the cities liability with that? I thought he was no longer a city employee.
The free spending and the ever increases in taxes has to come to a halt. The average working person and people on a fixed income are having a hard enough time making ends meet without all of the tax increases. The department heads need to buckle down and quit throwing the taxpayers money away . Maybe it is time to form a Taxpayers Watch dog group to really check all of the goings on in city government.
I feel sorry for the people that live on Warren Street that have raw sewage flowing in their yards. The Assistant City Manager mentioned the new Fire Station. What does that have to do with a problem that has been going on for years? He was Public Works Director for a number of years and didn't solve the problem. I bet raw sewage doesn't flow in his backyard in Frontenac.
At a time when our water and sewer system is clearly out of date maybe some of the taxpayers hard earned money could be spent on upgrades to those systems. Instead of buying fancy trucks for everybody to drive just maybe some of that money could be spent on upgrading our infrastructure. That's all folks. The shadow will return. Only the shadow knows when and he isn't telling.
Bob Torbett
Pittsburg