Dear Editor:
I was Cortez city manager from 1999 to 2007. The recall people havenot been straight with the public. It starts with Brandons Gate. Part of the area was flooded for years by the open canal.
The city needed a good roadbase so that the roads would last more than 10 years. The city asked the developer and contractor to put a better basein the roads. They thought that was unfair the reason for the recall andlawsuit against the city.
While I was city manager, they called me almost every week to see how soon the city could get Tucker Lane built totheir subdivision. I find it funny that they are using that roadas a reason for the recall effort. I did not complete the agreement with Mr. Flaugh; I left in September 2007 andthe agreement was completed in May 2008. I wouldnot have agreed to the terms of that agreement nor presented it tocity council. However, it was the best they could do when council would not allow a condemnation of the right of way, which Ibelieve should have been done.
The Brandons Gate road contractor voted against giving sewers to the Flaugh development when he was behindthe recall and serving on the sanitation district board a clear conflict of interest.
This recall is a total waste of $10,000 that taxpayers have to pay to hold the election. The recall peopledidnt even get people to stand against the council members that they are trying to recall. There is no reason for this recall. The city was protecting the taxpayers in the road design. This group has wasted tax money and everyones time. Vote no and stop the insanity.
Hal Shepherd
Cortez
Via e-mail