City leadership lacks in vote change

Editor, OBSERVER:

Am I confused? Isn’t the process of adopting a new law in the city of Dunkirk very clear? The council adopts a resolution, it’s presented to the mayor and it becomes law if not vetoed.

Why then wasn’t there a referendum for changing the term lengths of the council on last November’s ballot for the voters to decide?

The city attorney said they decided to wait until this year to put it on the ballot. What right did he have to do that when the resolution clearly stated it to be on the ballot for Nov. 6, 2018? Nowhere in the City Charter or Code does it state the administration can do whatever they want after a resolution has been officially and legally adopted.

Then to make matters more confusing, Norm Green, the Commissioner of the Board of Elections dismisses it as a mistake by the city clerk?

What is the real reason?

Mayor Wilfred Rosas, both the city clerk and attorney work for you. Who is going to be held accountable for violating the formally adopted policies of the city?

A lot of self-serving antics have been going on with your administration. Is this just another one?

Perhaps it’s time at this November’s election to remind the current mayor that all employees are supposed to work for us, the citizens. Or am I just confused at what being a leader and a mayor actually means?

PAUL E. VanDenVOUVER,

former Dunkirk Democratic committee chair and Third Ward councilman

When is a lie legally wrong?

Editor, OBSERVER:

As children, many of us learned that it was a sin to tell a lie. A popular oldies song assigned these words to music.

Sociology teaches us that lying is innate. Animals evolve to deceive predators. Sign language trained gorillas tell fibs, as do toddlers.

Many child-like grown-ups seem to have great difficulty dissociating from the toddler stage. Other more mature grown-ups have thankfully learned from parents, teachers, mentors, George Washington, Pinocchio and Santa Claus that telling the truth is good. Lying? Not so good!

Except perhaps for acts of kindness, as when a wife asks her husband, “Dear, do I look fat in this outfit?” When is a lie a legal wrong and when is it “just joking!”?

LORRAINE BAILEY,

Sheridan