From: Sharon Scobel
Columbus
My husband and I attended the city council meeting on Oct. 18. We and others were there to object to the representation that the city’s tax rate and spending are going down next year when they’re really going up.
In response, Jim Lienhoop read a letter to everyone, personally attacking our former mayor and her “supporters.” We don’t feel that she or any of us deserved to be disrespected like that at all. Even worse, Lienhoop wouldn’t let any of us respond to his statement attacking us. He cut us off when we tried. That was just plain cowardly.
Lienhoop and his supporters criticized the former mayor and roadblocked her efforts for four years. She never responded with personal attacks or dismissed him as just trying to become the mayor. She always respectfully listened to what the residents’ concerns were at the council meetings, and she allowed everyone to speak regardless of the topic.
When Lienhoop did allow us to speak before he read his statement, it was obvious that he did not really want to hear what anyone had to say at all. These meetings are held to give every resident a voice in our government, and it is their constitutional right to be able to voice their opinion no matter how they feel.
People should be treated fairly and not made to feel like they are doing something wrong if they don’t agree with our current mayor. We think the people of Columbus deserve better than to be bullied and intimidated into silence.
