Speak Out 8/7/14

City's lawyers;

who's paying?

Here's a question: Why did the city council hire a local lawyer who says he doesn't have "the time" to get the city's legal work done and also says he needs "help" or does not have the skills to represent the city in the Bagby contract mess?

Based on a quick look at the phone book there appears to be upwards to sixty (60) lawyers in Poplar Bluff. So why go to St. Louis to hire one? Better yet, why hire the same ones who are representing the mayor? Who is paying for all of this???

Here's an idea: If the newly elected council who fired Bagby will add up what they are spending on legal fees, they could just pay Bagby's contract and come out ahead.

Here's another idea: If they could collect what Becker owes, they could fill all those pot holes they talk so much about.

Adopt a

Highway

To the person complaining about the trash along PP Highway. The American Legion Auxiliary adopted a one mile stretch of highway between the 67 Junction and the bridge. This was done 12 years ago and we have gathered some 56 to 78 large bags of trash each and every year since. However, with many of our most active members now getting up in years, we were forced to decline the renewal of the "Adopt-a-Highway" agreement as of February 2014, which is the reason you are seeing so much trash now.

We all agree it is sad that so many people think nothing of throwing trash out of car windows and I, personally, feel it would be great if there could be surveillance cameras placed along all such highways to identify those people and force them to clean the highway so they might have an idea as to what a major job it is.

In the meantime, anyone who wishes to adopt that section of highway may do so by contacting the Missouri Dept. of Transportation. Also the sign on the highway that names the Legion Auxiliary as being the adoptee is not our property so if it was up after our agreement ended it is not within our control.

Making few

hurt the many

On the issue of pre-paying for gas. First of all, I am for stopping the CRIMINALS from driving off. However, with this new ordinance, the regular citizen is being punished for the sins of the criminal. WE are paying for their crime. I am known around town, and I even have to walk in twice to got gas now. Once to pay and again to get my change because I never know how much it will take to fill up. I can't look at my gas gauge and the price of gas and know how much it will take to fill up. I am taking a stand against this treatment because I now feel like the criminal. If I am told to pre-pay, I will simply go to another station and that one will lose my business forever. I use about $25 to $30 a day for my work. Now that's a loss for them.

Make the criminals pay for their own crime. Put up cameras or something, but don't make the honest people pay for the crimes of others.

Did others get

free wages?

Do you know, it was in the paper when Dr. Stephenson came to Three Rivers, the very first thing he did was fire numerous employees. Is there any way you all could investigate and see if they went ahead and got six months or so wages after they were fired? What's good for the goose?