Wrong climate for city grudges

Editor, OBSERVER:

Enough is enough. I have been sitting on the sidelines reading and watching the sad state of affairs between Mayor Wilfred Rosas and Dunkirk Common Council.

The most irritating occurrences are the constant complaining of Vicki Westling and Ned Divine. They both need to take a break from all of the letters and comments. Our whole way of life is being changed.

Children can’t go to school, many people are out of work, loved ones cannot be together. People are dying alone. All due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Yet what do we see? Another commentary from critical of the council. Use your energy to help Dunkirk out in this time of need.

And speaking of that, where have you been Mayor Rosas? It took weeks for you to even make a statement in the paper. When the good times are rolling in the summer you are everywhere.

We need you. We need encouragement from you. Instead, you are busy moving your office out of city hall and filing a lawsuit against the council, paid with taxpayer funds. That is a shame.

All of you including our city attorney Richard Morrisroe need to stop playing the victim. Pick yourselves up, dust yourselves off and put your energy toward something positive for the city.

I would like to close with this. “It is unfair to yourself to keep trying to justify why you are holding on to toxicity. There are lessons in letting go and moving on.”

MICHELE BAUTISTA,

Dunkirk

Council not

following rules

Editor, OBSERVER:

On April 7, I responded to an article in the paper pertaining to the Dunkirk Common Council meeting. I followed the instructions given by the council in the article as to how to participate in the meetings.

I hand delivered to City Hall a statement which was to be read at that evening’s meeting. I clearly wrote privilege of the floor at the top of the statement along with my name and address.

The clerk time stamped the document which in turn proves date and time received. The statement was submitted before noon April 7 and followed the guidelines that were set forth in the newspaper.

Upon reviewing the meetings minutes, it has come to my attention that my statement was never read out loud. Where is the transparency that was promised by this current council? In the short time frame, I was trying to navigate a city website that rerouted me on several occasions.

I still found the information as to the agenda and stated my opinion, which in turn fell on deaf ears.

What concerns me more is the actions of this council during a worldwide pandemic. Due to social distancing, one cannot attend the meetings where actions are being taken to change how our city is run. Holding such proceedings, which are not of a dire need during a state of emergency, goes to show how the council is more interested in reaching the goals of their own personal agenda than hearing the voices of the people they serve.

It is our civic duty in a democracy for the checks and balances in all aspects of our government, including the Common Council. Failure to properly allow citizens to voice opinions on major changes to our city undermines the intentions of our founding fathers.

No matter what political party has dominance in our city we have always been a democracy. Mayor Wilfred Rosas was not the only person silenced at that meeting. I, like the mayor, choose to speak out about the injustice going on at the hands of our council.

Our city is divided into four wards. Each of the ward-appointed council members is responsible for their section of the city. Hence they will write resolutions based on the need of the people they serve.

All resolutions are then voted upon in public. Changing this procedure contradicts the format. Also it censors what is brought before the public by blocking the public from hearing the resolution unless two members sign off. That is the complete opposite of the transparency that the council promised us upon voting them in.

I also voiced my opinion of the human resource position being removed. This was not in the best interest of the future of our city. Our city was behind on many state mandated trainings and many union negotiations were left unfinished.

Our past director fixed all those issues. Firing him will potentially cause us to fall behind again. Instead of trying to push out the people that had bad job performance, which can be proved by the work conducted by the resource director, we fire the guy who fixed the issues.

JEANETTE DELGADO,

Dunkirk

Area caregivers earn gratitude

Editor, OBSERVER:

Each day I am grateful to the health care staff who care for patients suffering from COVID-19 as well as every other illness imaginable. They serve in isolation from any visitors who might offer comfort to these patients and so are doubly tasked with comforting as well as care giving. And while I have the utmost respect for the doctors and nurses, I also remember to be grateful for the care and comfort offered by other staff at the hospital — those who clean it — mop the floors and wash the toilets, those who do administrative tasks — secretaries, clerks, financial assistants, those who prepare and deliver food to nourish all those at the hospital, those who oversee the running of the hospital itself, those who do the laundry and those who do building maintenance, chaplains.

I hope we can all remember the many tasks being done by a wide variety of workers who are giving selflessly for the well being of us all and keep them in our thoughts and prayers and offer them our heartfelt gratitude.

THE REV. THERESA KIME,

Fredonia

Some quandaries during the crisis

Editor, OBSERVER:

It’s only now, amidst COVID-19, I realize I need a new wish. A world of dreams, full of people. There’s more then enough stuff, but not enough people.

Can the economy or population survive COVID-19? Gas prices have dropped to low rates, but when will marketing prices follow? If it cost less to fuel the trucks shouldn’t it cost less for the product itself? We’ve developed a society of more equals better, but truth be had shouldn’t it be less?

Everyone was panicking over toilet paper, I had the same stash since June 2019, a 48-count. Maybe it’s because I’m a male, but I had 12 or 14 rolls left keeping one for myself and handing the rest out to family in crisis. Of course I have an emergency roll hidden that I purposely forget because as any family member would tell you I wouldn’t survive any outdoors show such as Alaskan Bush People without some toilet paper.

I got down to the last half roll before panicking measures could ensue and decided to check out Walmart as an average citizen looking for pop. Yes, I’m a Western New Yorker and use the word pop to indicate soda. Sodapop, soda, two syllables, pop, one syllable, easier to use and one less letter to spell.

Now while I was looking for my pop of preference I saw an unusual aisle of shoes placed between toiletries and pop aisle. Interesting, but anyone whose been to Walmart as of late can tell you they’re remodeling.

I did the average American look, which is taking five steps into the aisle and looking down and discovered many 12 packs of Angel Ultra soft tissue paper for $6 and change.

Perhaps there was a larger count of something else farther down the aisle, can’t be sure because I am your average lazy American 28-year-old with no children and no romantic offers, applications available ladies, and the 48-count nearly lasted me an entire year so now 12 rolls could easily last three months if the COVID-19 continues this state of emergency. In conclusion less is more.

RYAN CHRISTOPHER ZYBERT,

Fredonia