Councilmen are self-absorbed
No one on the Anniston City Council can be called a "political leader." They can be called a politician, but they are not leaders.
This HAS to come to an end. Anniston is slowly going backward and not forward. Sixth graders do a better job of working together than what we have now in City Hall. What a huge disappointment this is to Anniston and Calhoun County. If this goes on much longer, it will take Anniston years to re-emerge. Enough is enough.
It is amazing how some council members can be so self-absorbed in their own egos and not the united work of the city. What a shame. Where are some getting their money to file all of these lawsuits?
Patricia Hulsey
Anniston
Let's clean house
I agree. It's time for wholesale change. All of 'em ...
John Tidball
Anniston
All for changing wards
I have actually started a scrapbook of the day-to-day antics of the Anniston City Council. (It's hilarious).
Being a former employee at City Hall, one can only say that it's a blessing to come from amongst them (the council) — I know, given the situation I was put in. You may say, what does she know? Well, I'm here to tell you, I know a lot, seen a lot and heard a lot. You can't believe everything you hear or read sometimes. There always are three sides to a story — their side, your side and the truth.
I'm all for the changing of wards and boundaries in Anniston, but how do we get the city manager to see and realize that this method is, if at all, the best solution for the salvaging of decency and integrity of this great city?
Darlene Emory
Anniston
Reign of the Futile Five
I am one of Anniston's many sons and daughters who moved into the world in search of education, training and experience. Like other former Annistonians, I left the city 12 years ago and unfortunately have no intention of returning there to contribute what I've learned.
One of the main reasons for this sentiment is the dysfunction that reigns supreme in the City Council chambers. One thousand miles of distance from Houston to my hometown doesn't soften the sense of disappointment in the council's conduct. These men are around twice my age or older, yet they act half my age, and therefore they deserve no respect, confidence or credibility.
I think re-districting should be considered along with additional, smaller wards. If the rules allow seven council members, then I believe all seven should be used with a mix of five ward members and two at-large members. The wards should be re-drawn in a fashion that provides equal population based upon 2010 Census numbers.
Anniston deserves better, and as arguably the medical and professional hub for thousands of people in surrounding counties in two states, it should be better. Some may be offended by my viewpoints since I no longer live there, but I still have plenty of skin in this game. Many of my relatives still live in the city, and they deserve to live in a city that is vibrant, proud of what it is, and has leadership that's not too proud to cohesively serve.
Anniston will always have the "Model City" nickname, but it has to decide what it wants to be a "model" of. If it wants to be a model of ineptitude and civic impotence, then it should continue to take its doses of John Spain, Gene Robinson, Herbert Palmore, Ben Little and David Dawson. If it wants to begin asserting itself as one of America's "model" cities of the future, then the cycle of insanity led by the Futile Five must end.
Anthony Simmons
Houston, Texas
Where do we start?
I agree with many of The Star's comments about the Anniston City Council. We have to rise up and reform. What I am having trouble with, and what many residents are wondering is: Where do we start, what should we do first?
It would be great if The Star could do a weekly column on what residents can do with actual, specific things to do. The problem seems so big that no one knows where to start, even though we already know we have to change. Help us!
Donna Satterlee Ross
Anniston
Can city attorney help us?
What I'd like to hear from Anniston City Attorney Cleo Thomas is how do we get rid of these clowns on the Anniston City Council? Many of us would be glad to pay his hourly rate. It would be a fine bargain.
Ouida Allen
Anniston
They have hurt Anniston
I am one citizen who has had his fill of Anniston Mayor Gene Robinson and City Councilman Ben Little. Ben has used The Anniston Star to spew his personal dislike for the mayor, and The Star has nothing better to do than print Ben's animosity for everything.
I've come to the conclusion that Ben and the mayor need to get a life and do the people of Anniston a huge favor and step down from the position that each holds. How can two grown men not realize that they are the laughingstock of not only Calhoun County, or the state of Alabama, but the entire Southeast? Day after day I read the nonsense about both in a newspaper that I pay close to $150 a year to read.
I knew Ben when he was in the service; I respected Ben and liked him a lot, but this meltdown that he has suffered somewhere along the line has me puzzled. I've lost all respect for him now. As for Mayor Robinson, that's a whole different ballgame.
I hope and pray the people of Anniston wake up and realize that Ben's and the mayor's tenure in office has hurt Anniston rather than help Anniston prosper.
B.L. Nelson
Anniston
