What Others Think

I am grateful for the growing dialogue we give each other here. We are hearing more from all factions and even starting to self-regulate when opinions get too mean-spirited. This collective interaction is very important and holds potential to bring healing as we transition fully from a smelter town to an upper-class enclave.

The last post has some great insights into what is important to residents as the council makes their mayoral selection in the coming weeks. Read on and add your thoughts. ~ Karen

Anonymous said...
The Council appoints the next Mayor? Can they find someone that can get along with the 5 of them. I hope so. Looks like we are stuck with this form of Government. You can always hire somebody to help out on the day to day tasks. Lets heal and move Point Ruston along.
August 20, 2008 9:55 AM
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Anonymous said...
Maybe we should start fresh with a new mayor AND new council members. It is clear that the current council (except for Hedrick) has no idea how to run a town. They have done a lot of things very fast and very badly, with potentially irreversible damage to our awesome town. We need people who have governmental knowledge and an OPEN mind.
August 20, 2008 10:19 AM
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Anonymous said...
It is my hope/prayer that Ruston can move forward in an intelligent, productive manner. This will take cooperation, being considerate of one another, freedom of speech, abiding by the laws of the nation/state and local gov. and absolute caring for and loving Ruston and one another. Bboop
August 20, 2008 10:49 AM
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Anonymous said...
Karen, You ask some great questions on this Blog. The vote count was pathetic - garnering less than 25% of the town residents. It’s the old 80/20 rule – where 20% of the people are making 80% of the noise. I know each side wants to believe that they are the majority but numbers don’t lie – you are both the minority. In the 2005 primary election there were over 340 votes cast – ask yourself what happened to almost 200 voters that failed to show up for this very important election? I know I will have critic's saying this post is from one side or the other but the bottom-line is the majority of Ruston residents don't care. They have either attempted to serve in the past and are now ostracized or just plain fed up with all the in fighting. How many prior council members do you see still actively involved? Where is Bob Pudlo? Mike Wendell? Brett Johnson? Mary Joyce? And the many others that have served before? Why do they not return? Why are they no longer participating? I know that when the council members that are currently serving leave their seats – they will not return. The town will have chewed them up, personally attacked them, and spit them out. The days of the long term council members are over – the active 20% minority – whether its one-side or the other – will make their lives miserable.

In the past couple of years – how much has really gotten done in this town? Many residents have come before council with their issues but really what has been accomplished? There has been so much effort spent on fighting with the Commencement and Cohen that there has been little time spent solving current residents issues. In many countries, neglecting citizens can lead to a revolution. The unfortunate problem is that revolutions typically don’t solve the underlying deep seeded issues the countries are facing. Maybe thats it - Ruston needs a revolution but there is no one that we could elect that the vocal 20% would unanimously support – won’t happen because there lies a genuine hatred for one another.

Ruston is too small to govern itself moving forward. We will quickly be running out of volunteers that want to enter the lions den of politics that Ruston has become. I was shocked when Michael Transue returned as Mayor and I am certain he probably wishes he never did. I was equally as shocked that Bob Everding returned to politics – only to leave the toxic Mayoral position. Who in their right mind is going to want to be Mayor? But conversely, I am glad we won't be having this dysfunctional council trying to manage a town administrator. We would probably have wound up with another lawsuit - stress related.

Ruston is really a microcosm of what is happening in our society – it’s only magnified because we know all the players. For instance, it’s one thing when you are in the supermarket, the gas station, or the airport and people are rude to you. It’s tolerable because you don’t know that person – it’s not personal. When your neighbor claims you’re stupid, Hitler, a dictator, a cabal, etc… it hurts and cuts deep – it’s personal because it’s your neighbor.

Maybe we are just a sign of the times – no more respect for one another, lack of empathy, and the inability to compromise.

Ruston - Good Luck to All - We are going to need it.
August 20, 2008 5:54 PM
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Anonymous said...
Very well done. When we have a small group running the town and not running with the town, then thats where we are. No doubt, it isnt working, because the mayor quite. And hopefully the rest of the pack will step down. We can turn things around when we get the evil spirits out of town. It seems its always the new comers that want to up set everything. We need progress and it is coming with a wonderful landscape with Cohens ideas. I am proud to be in that wonderful landscape.
August 20, 2008 6:43 PM
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Lucy said...
Nobody wants to sit in the hot seat. The town council has frightened the people of Ruston with harsh words and condescending attitudes. Who would want to get involved in something like that, it would serve the town best if the town council would step down and give the towns people a chance to elect residents that are actually out to help this town and move foward. Residents are afraid to sign a name on any document or blog that associates them with one person or another. Occasionally on this blog I see words used that make me wonder are these adults or children! It is such a beautiful town with great people, I am happy I live here but tired of what these past elections have brought. ):
August 20, 2008 7:20 PM
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Anonymous said...
although the amount of the people who voted were small and there could have been more votes, the numbers spoke for themself. Some did not show to vote for whatever reason, but the ones who showed up to Pt. Defiance Village spoke with their decision to vote. The MAJORITY vote said no to a Council/Manager. So now what does ruston do? the next mayor has to be from the council correct and live in Ruston? If so we are only recycling the political officials of this town. The amount of issues facing ruston gives no part-time, $500.00/month mayor motivation to want the job. There are numerous lawsuits, there are a lot of disgruntle residents, angered past political appointees, the town is going broke from lawsuits, fines, people stealing and while I hope the new businesses bring LOTS of revenue, the truth is it may only keep the town afloat. People who are trying to bring some major money to the town are being abused. The residents are being politically abused, the staff is being abused from what I read from previous posts and you want a $500/month part-time mayor to deal with all of this.

First sit down and figure out what the criteria is for someone to qualify for a Mayor position. Once you do, figure out who lives in Ruston that qualifies, wants the job at only $500/monthly along with allllllll the responsibility, but before you accept anyone who qualifies, the town needs to know they can handle going into battle and coming out prepared to win the war with running, dodging and hiding.
August 20, 2008 8:28 PM