Editor’s note: Mayor Jim Daily recently responded to a letter to the editor which appeared in last week’s Star Press Union regarding several city matters.
CAT grant – amount to be awarded is $96,000 not $93,000.
Family aquatic center bid price was $2,520,222.50.
Citizens voted for a bond issue for $2.1 million.
Difference is being made up from grants and donations from people dedicated to the survival of this community.
Disposition of the rent from the old Benco building – none of my business what the owner of that property does with his income. Please feel free to contact the owner and request the rent be donated to the city.
“Property of the city” – As far as I am able to determine the city doesn’t own any property at 11th Street and First Ave.
Grass – Your duty as a responsible citizen is to report violations of the nuisance ordinance. Please give a list to the police department. Pictures would be a plus.
Cost of the Walldog event was $37,750. It is a piece of the downtown revitalization project. The mural that the Kromminga family so generously allowed to be attached to their grain bin was designed for that purpose to point the way to our main street.
Closed alleys – “Alleys” is plural. Is there more than one? The council in its collective wisdom has to make the decisions it deems best for each situation. Sometimes decisions are unpopular. It’s called “representative government.” In the upcoming election only one seat is contested. Why? Many citizens sit on a barstool at the taverns or restaurants or around the kitchen tables and opine as to what should be done but they aren’t willing to step forward in an elective or even a voluntary capacity to carry the burdens of decision making or the actual spade work of progress.
Communication with city officials – We have two council meetings each month, the first and third Mondays at 6 p.m. The council also meets as a committee of the whole, uncompensated, once a month, usually on the third Monday at 5 p.m. to discuss ideas on future actions and perceived problems. Most often the elected officials, city staff and the press are the only attendees. Perhaps we should serve cookies.
As another source of communication and information we are fortunate to have two local news outlets covering the meetings. Both do an excellent job of keeping the townspeople up to date.
Recently on TV I saw a frustrated congressman trying to reason with a constituent, saying he might as well have a conversation with the dining room table. I appreciate his frustration.
Mayor James R. Daily
If a public official cannot take public criticism, than why be a public official?? And why not do your business in the city that you wish to have higher taxes than cedar rapids?? By the way what kind of cookies are you going to have? I like chocolate chip
What?
The mayor hit the nail on the head in his letter.
It is one thing to criticize a public official in a public forum. It is a whole other issue to use rumor and misinformation to criticize a public official and make it all sound like it is true becuase the writer is ignorant. If the writer can’t handle the truth maybe the writer shouldn’t ask the questions.
Most people become public officials to help their communities become better places to live. They don’t take the positions to take crap from the rumor mongers and they have every right to respond in kind.
Since when is questioning a public official off limits??? If the public official can’t take the heat, maybe he needs to get out of office. Citizens don’t have to take crap from public officials either! Or their families!
Regina and Sue .. where do you see in what Mayor Daily or Jean said that even intimates questioning or criticizing a public official is prohibited or off limits?? . .nothing was said by either of them that promotes or indicates that at all? And, that said public official is somehow not able to “take the heat..or criticism”.. .. ..please clarify as to how you reached these conclusions that Mayor Daily is not able to “take the heat”. . .has he wilted in some way?? . .taken a side street to work?? . .wears sunglasses at nite?? . . .hasn’t shown his face around town in awhile??? . .please clarify? . . .
. .. oh. . .and the cookies .. . .nuthin’ like No Bakes!!!
Love the mayor’s letter. Love your response Johnny DeRaad. If only Nay Sayers would have the where-with-all to present their perfect solution to the issue since they choose to critique. Keep in mind that public officials have many issues on their plate and your issue may be one of many and not the most important one on the table. Nay Sayers give yourself a break, spend your time coming up with a better solution, come for cookies and present your ideas Apathy and anger are both dead ends.