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Voice of the People
Well they have finally surfaced! —Those who have been “clamoring” to
change Chesterton’s Town government over to a city with a Mayor as the chief
appointer, hirer, and firer.
And “they” are a small number of this area’s Chamber of Commerce. The
Chamber, last week released a survey saying over 50% of those polled agreed
to a city type of government for our town. Only about 25% of their
membership even bothered to respond.—Hardly overwhelming.
Towns historically change to a city when town business gets too complicated
and too much for those elected on the town council.
Chesterton has not reached that point as yet. We have had a lot of able and
talented people come forth to serve on our various boards—and they continue
to come. They are our neighbors and friends. We are able to communicate very
well with them on a person to person basis—not so with an impersonal mayor.
We should not be ready to take power from our town council and place it into
the hands of one person—a professional politician.
This proposition will be on your ballot in the November election. Our
council would be remiss if they do not call a town forum with an expert
present to speak on city government versus that of a town.
Our town faces perhaps its most serious action since its inception. Let us
not try to fix something that is not broken!
Ray Carnes
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Posted 8/7/2006
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