RECALL: Public vote, anyone?
COME ON, PEOPLE! Let’s get a true picture.
I have served on many boards of directors, both in a professional status, a volunteer and a community advocate. Still today, boards of directors make blanket statements either for or against very public or political things, and those statements may not truly reflect the “whole” membership’s opinion. They are also effectively given authority to make those blanket statements with the vote of 10-30 people on those boards, which represents more than 600-plus people! Yes, that’s why they are elected by their members… to have that authority. I am not claiming to be for or against the recall, but my vote has already been represented by a local membership!
In these very controversial times in Coeur d’Alene, we citizens need to able to express our own opinions, and not have a “unanimous vote” of a small board speak for us. That vote should be by each one of the members, the opinions tallied, then outcome to be published, at that time. This vote of all members would speak volumes, and I suspect may be quite different than the Board of Directors’ “unanimous vote.”
There have been hundreds of historic changes over the decades in every community. The current “recall” subject seems to have been fueled by “The Park” debate, which continues today. The public voter is screaming, again, to be heard, especially as it affects all of the citizens of Coeur d’Alene, their taxes and their community! Many who cannot vote because they are not in the city, as even more frustrated.
Recall, impeachment, fired from a job, all invoke multitudes of emotions and opinions. Thank goodness for the First Amendment and our rights to speak our opinions publicly. Just because we may not agree with each other, we can respectfully disagree, still be friends or business associates. Wouldn’t a public vote to spend the proposed MILLIONS of dollars on McEuen Park have been better than this outcome?
Most of the Letters to the Editor section of this past Sunday’s Press, some of the articles on the front pages, and other special interest spots, addressed the pros and cons of the recall effort. Again, a public vote would have avoided all of this and given the people of Coeur d’Alene a chance to express their personal opinions!
By the way, one quote given said that people and businesses were watching to see if Coeur d’Alene was progressive enough to move here, or to bring their businesses here. If that is referencing the example of having a fabulous park, like the proposed McEuen Mega-Million Park… then I have to chuckle at that one. I have never, in approximately 20 years of selling homes to buyers moving to the area, have had any one of them make their decisions to move here, or not, based on the parks. Yes, they have mentioned our lakes, mountains, the trees, the great citizens and friendly atmosphere. Hopefully, we can keep it that way!
KAREN CORCORAN
Coeur d’Alene