Brownwood Texas: It is what it is !

Friday December 1, 2006

Op Ed: Letters To The Editor

Citizens deserve to know more

To the editor:

After the recent elections, I read in the Brownwood Bulletin that Brown County was still a red county in a red state.

I took that statement to mean Brownwood is a Republican County under a Republication administration. After reading the story about Mr. Carruth’s resignation, I assume that the Brownwood City Council is trying to conduct their business under a cloak like our current administration.

The statements issued by Brownwood offficials seemed more like fuzzy word games used by sleazy lawyers. One official would not “elaborate” about the sketchy answers he was giving about “issues.” I guess he would not elaborate because his statements had absolutely no substance. Another head city official stated “I wasn’t in agreement with the agreement,” but would not elaborate. I have never seen such double-talk printed in the Bulletin. I’m sure these officials did not use fuzzy English or evasive answers when they were running for office.

Any person who loses any job deserves more than “broad statements” with no specifics about their performance and dismissal.

The citizens of Brownwood deserve to know what is going on at City Hall. It was the citizens who put them there.

Please don’t turn Brownwood into Washington, where recently it is considered treason to question our leaders.

Rosie Hake Trevino

Dallas

source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2006/12/01/op_ed/letters%20to%20the%20editor/letter02.txt
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Friday December 1, 2006

Op Ed: Letters To The Editor

What’s going on behind closed doors?

To the editor:

I’ve read where Brownwood officials have accepted Kevin Carruth’s sudden resignation as Brownwood City Manager. After serving the City of Brownwood for the last 18 months, one has to question what would force “a young progressive city manager with a great temperament and loads of experience”* to tender his resignation after such a short amount of time in the trenches at Brownwood City Hall.

I recall Mr. Carruth was hired by a 4 to 1 city council vote and I also recall reading the following statement by Brownwood City Councilman Dave Fair regarding Mr. Carruth’s hiring in April of 2005:

“He’s going to be inheriting a family that is not dysfunctional ... a city that does not have major spots, blemishes or wrinkles. He’ll do the touchup paint and the trim and things like that, but he’s not inheriting an albatross.”*

What did Mr. Carruth inherit when he reported for duty in Brownwood?

Did he inherit a dysfunctional family with major spots, blemishes and wrinkles?

Was Mr. Carruth incapable of brushing on the touchup paint and taking care of the trim and things like that?

It would not surprise me in the least, if Mr. Carruth, “a young progressive city manager with a great temperament and loads of experience,”* had indeed inherited a Brownwood albatross (defined as something that hinders or handicaps) !

What’s going on behind closed doors at Brownwood City Hall?

Steve Harris

Brownwood

*Quotes by Brownwood City Council Member Dave Fair, source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2005/04/21/news/news02.txt

source: http://www.brownwoodbulletin.com/articles/2006/12/01/op_ed/letters%20to%20the%20editor/letter01.txt
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Note from Steve, I agree with pretty much everything that Rosie's letter points out but I'm also of the opinion that this type of politics starts locally and advances it way to the County, State, and National level (trikcle up politics !). I believe the saying "All politics is local." ! Brownwood and Brown County is one of the Reddest of the Red areas of the State and the Nation. It's also "scary" here because of the large number of Red Republicans who "will do or say anything in the name of GOD" (not my quote, but my Republican Congressmans Chief of Staff observations and email to me ! I agree with him too ! ) This type of behaviour/tactics and keeping everything in the closet away from the light does not surprise me in the least. I am also not shocked that the same leaders open their sessions with prayer and are frequently publicly pontificating about GOD ! Maybe the Council members will have a change of heart and negotiate the clause away that prevents us all from getting to the truth. Don't hold your breath folks ! This is the face of Brownwood !