Speak Out 12/20/14

Support our

city manager

I would like to speak to the City of Poplar Bluff, including the City Administration and City Council.

First, I am not in favor of the treatment that our former City Manager Doug Bagby received during the first meeting of our "new" City Council. I also believe the City should have cut our losses and paid out his contract, and let it be. I believe it was in the best interest of our City, to pick and choose our battles at this point. And the way Mr. Bagby was treated, was as my teenagers tell me, an "Epic Fail." Thank you Doug, for your service to our City.

With this said, I want to add that as a child I watched the "Good Old Boy", system work in our Town and School System. What we have been doing for the last 40 years is not working any longer. We are not luring new business and we are not growing in leaps and bounds. It is apparent in our churches, schools and organizations. Something has to change. I believe our new City Manager, is on the right track.

What Mr. Kaplan is doing, is no different than a new Coach of a Football team. He is simply assembling his "team". Yes the amount of money he is spending is great compared to the past but we have to be willing to spend money to make this town marketable to future industry. In addition, we need to cut some of the "good old boy" positions. Such as, most of the City positions in the finance department. Aside from Mr. Massingham and our City Clerk, Ms. Kearby, I can't see why we have so many paid positions. In addition, our City Pound is a joke, along with the Black River Coliseum. Why not use some of the space in the Coliseum and put the city offices there?

Nothing against Mr. Godwin, but I do think there are positions in his realm that can be eliminated. Again, it takes hard decisions to make things Change. And we wanted change or we would not have voted in the "new" council.

I glady support staff meetings for our City workers. They should set them for a certain time each month or quarter and close the offices during this time. This way they do not pay over time and they do need to meet. What kind of business, the size of our city can survive without staff meetings and team building? Not many in the "real world".

In addition, Mayor Pearson, you might lump yourself in with the "new" council but you need to step down. You are costing our city much more than Mr. Kaplan has already. You started costing us money when you took office. Gather your dignity and step down.

Finally, our news media, mainly the DAR, needs to report fairly instead of one sided. It is sad to see that you try to influence so many with your propaganda. Report BOTH sides, not just your opinion. Do your due diligence and check out other cities like ours and see what they have had to do to "grow up" then you will see what Mr. Kaplan is doing, is not so far off base.

We need to realize we voted in our City Council members. We need to support them and support our City Manager.

Kick out the

carpetbagger

I appreciate having Speak Out in the paper. I'm an elderly person and I don't know what's going on. Bravo! to the Daily American Republic for the front page showing Kaplan's payments to the Texas cronies. Let's have more of the front page on his payments. Show the other payments to his pals. Maybe this will make people of Poplar Bluff wake up and smell the coffee. He is doing this because he thinks we are a bunch of stupid hillbillies. I'm 80 years and too old to make a difference, but when you give the key to the city and no one is watching a sly fox will steal your chickens. How long will it take to tar and feather this carpetbagger? Are we willing to stick our head in the mud and say, this is not our problem, let them work it out. Let's see more front page reporting and photocopies of his handiwork and payments to his city pals. Bravo, DAR! He's in the chicken house. Take his keys away and send him packing. I'll donate to the price of his train fare. People, you've got to wake up and find out you are being scammed! And I can't believe that we're that stupid! Bravo, DAR! Keep up the good work!