Coastal voices: Are we moving forward or backward?

Continually, the citizens of Crescent City are being misled by City Councilwoman Donna Westfall, and now her most current escapade regarding the sewer plant.

“It’s easier to believe a lie heard a thousand times than the truth heard once.”

Councilwoman Westfall has publicly stated on various occasions that she likes to grandstand, engage in theatrics, and admits she doesn't know how government works.”  Clearly, she has proven this self-assessment repeatedly. Westfall is not fit to serve the people.

Not only does Westfall not know how government works, she continually makes false, misleading statements and accusations that further her one-horse, destructive political agenda.

And what is her agenda? A blatant power grab. How does it work? Use the false promise of something-for-nothing sewer rates to whip up support for the recall of Murray and me. Get us out; get her friends in; run the show.  Control the Council, control the budget, and control the city.

Westfall has no regard or respect, just total disdain, for authority, the processes, the oversight provisions, or our professional city staff. Ms. Westfall does not have the city or our citizens’ best interests in mind. But her escapades continue with complete disregard for the financial hardship she creates for our city and our General Fund. It is costing our city tens of thousands of dollars along with wasted staff time, energy and resources, to no rational purpose.

Ask yourself a few simple questions: 1) Why is she trying to recall the two newest Council members when neither of us was there when the sewer plant decisions were made?  2) If she actually knows about some corruption, why didn’t she share her proof with the Grand Jury, which spent hundreds of hours on this, reviewed hundreds of documents, and found no “corruption.” 3) If there really is corruption, why doesn’t she just take it to the district attorney? He’s got the right job description.

Or how about taking it to the Fair Political Practices Commission, the enforcement arm of the state on conflict of interest? Oh wait — she did that. She buried them with paper and complaints. And what did they find? I quote: “The Commission found that the Complaint and its accompanying documents lacked any evidence to substantiate a conflict of interest violation by Mr. Barnts.” Letter, dated Aug. 13, 2009, signed by the Executive Director, FPPC.

If there is no corruption, and she has no proof, doesn’t decency require that we tell her to straighten up? Let’s start today. Stop the nonsense. Stop the power grab. Donna, straighten up!

Ultimately, it’s the will of the people that counts. In a democracy, we get the government we deserve. Please become informed and know the direct implications of your proposed actions.

Enough is enough! The implications are great and far-reaching. We must move forward.

Charles Slert is a member of the Crescent City Council.