“Conspiracy. Discrimination…. A simmering feud in the tiny town of Ruston” ~ words used too often around here. Unfortunately, they accurately describe the current political climate in Ruston. Just visit any council meeting to watch.
A strong political movement waged against the Commencement condominiums by the Citizens for Ruston swept council members Bob Pudlo, Bob Everding and Wayne Stebner into office two years ago. Citizens for Ruston evolved into the Ruston Connection – similar to a volunteer political action committee advocating for everything from stopping the condo development to removing parking spaces on Winnifred Street. RC (as they call themselves) has since lost much of its citizen base, as evidenced in the last election. Although it is clear RC still wages considerable influence, this election was much closer. (RC did not officially endorse any candidate, but their members worked tirelessly for friends Bradley Huson and Dan Albertson.)
Those same members attend every council meeting – often giving what appears to be pre-planned testimony to pre-planned actions by their favorite council members. Opposing views on every issue are disputed. No amount of testimony can sway the council vote from its apparent predetermined course. It is discouraging to voice a different view when it is unheard and often results in jeers from the audience or chastising from council members.
This political climate may be feeding into the latest conspiracy theory about RC. Their web site was recently shut down for maintenance. When it came back up, at least two member accounts (needed to access any information on the site) were removed. These two accounts were for folks who often disagree with RC. They have not been allowed to set up new accounts, which need approval from the site administrator, Sally Everding (wife of council member Bob Everding). Ms. Everding was notified of the problem a week ago, but has not responded as yet. Her email and site system seem to be working, as evidenced by her refusal to post a comment from outgoing council member Del Brewer today.
Is there a real conspiracy by RC to deliberately discriminate against those they disagree with? Or is this just an oversight in a politically-charged small town? Maybe 'conspiracy' is going too far. As a private entity, they have every right to discriminate, treat others rudely, pre-plan the council agenda and votes (well, maybe not legally). It’s just that these actions run so contrary to their supposed goal to build a sense of community.
Such are the dilemmas in Ruston - entertaining to the outside world, but symbolic of larger trends tearing at the sense of community everywhere.
Just one person's admittedly biased opinion. What’s yours? ~ Karen
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4 comments:
Hello again, Any chance you can post Council Member Del Brewer's comments in order for us to know what RC is not willing to share with us?
Also, I agree with your comments about those persons who disagree with RC folk getting Jeered or the loud talking in the audience stating that the speaker should not be listened to BECAUSE ........ for whatever reason they are using in that place and time.
In a public meeting, respect should be shown to the council by members of the public; but, the council members should also show respect to the public. Adults behaving as adults, free to state their opinions even when they are not in agreement.
Here are Del Brewer's comments. He posted them anonymously as comments after the earlier post describing the council's refusal to delay filling Pudlo's vacancy:
Weelll, there they go again (heard with the Reagan voice) the cliches can run amuck endlessly: "people get the government they deserve" etc....Another sham was executed on our little hamlet last evening when former mayor and councilmember Pudlo's still warm but vacated seat was filled by Albertson on a 3 to 1 vote by the new/old council lead by the ever shameless Everding. I do not doubt that Dan Albertson may be the best person in Ruston for the job, after all he lost the election by a very slim margin and has a resume that may well qualify him. WHAT I DO OBJECT TO IS THE DENIAL OF PROCESS that has been the standard here in Ruston and elsewhere which opens the vacancy to any and all residents that want to apply for the position and follow a review, interview, etc. method.
And now the 'good' news, Ruston now has another lawyer on board.........now maybe we can save a few hundred thousand dollars of our precious nest egg...unless of course he is not able to give us 'legal advice' due to rules set up by far to many American families having allowed (and even encouraged) their children to go to law school!!
Signed, you'll never guess
That's interesting. I initially thought there was a problem with my account....now I realize my access was removed also.
I am still a property owner in town and have as much right to speak, read or write as anyone else.
This last election has once again (save for Jim Hedrick's election) taken a huge step backwards in terms of openness and integrity. Here we are, faced with a substantial amount of objective information supporting our highly competent and capable fire department/EMS team, and a council bent on replacing it. What can possibly be the rationale for this, when one of our areas most competent Trauma Surgeons and Ruston resident, Dr. Tom Ferrer (and member of the fire department review committee)advises against exactly this strategy?
What we have is a small "cabal" with a hidden agenda trying to shape the town, not in the interests of the residents' best interests, but rather in their own vision (whatever that is).
Installing Dan Albertson instead of Lyle Hardin in the vacated seat was another mistake. Lyle is a moderate, reasoned voice which we desperately need. Dan Albertson will be in open warfare with Transue for the next two years which will further paralyze this town.
And this tragic situation in a town with so much promise...
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