— Different interpretation



I just read a letter interpreting Harold Sare's remarks in the 3/7/10 NewsPress as implying an association between City Council candidate John Bartley and the attempt to remove the current mayor from office.

I have not talked to Harold Sare and I cannot read his mind. I just want to note that I am one reader who did not see the same implication in Sare's statement.

The way I took it was that the other City Council candidate, Gary Stanton, is firmly allied with the current mayor and, therefore, a vote for Stanton could be interpreted as a vote in favor of the current mayor.

From my observations of John Bartley at a public forum last month, he seems to be friendly, well-intentioned, and a peacemaker. Just because Bartley isn't a close ally of the current mayor doesn't mean Bartley is an enemy to anybody.  

I believe Bartley would cooperate amicably with anybody else who is serving in public office alongside him.

I offer these observations as someone who doesn't have a dog in this fight and is simply watching from the sidelines.



Randi Eldevik

Stillwater

Care, parents



 Have you heard about the young man who had just gotten his driver’s permit? He was eager to begin learning, so his father agreed to take him out in the family car to practice.

 The son opened the driver’s door and got in the car.

 His father opened the back door and got in the car.

 “Dad,” said the teen, “aren’t you going to sit up front with me?”

 “No,” said the dad, “I’m going to do what you’ve done for the past 16 years. I’m going to sit behind you and kick the seat.”

 Chuckle.

 Actually, the dad was setting a good example that you might want to follow. No, not his “being sarcastic with his teen-age son who deserves it” attitude, but the fact that he was going with his son to practice driving.

It sounds like such a simple thing, but besides his driver’s training instructor, who cares more about making sure this priceless child knows how to handle the monotonous, as well as scary, aspects of driving? It’s you, Mom and Dad!

So bite the bullet. Set a time. It could be a life-changing investment in so many ways!

 

Evelyn Ferchau

Stillwater



 

Separate



I was disappointed by Harold Sare’s comment in the March 7 NewsPress that a vote for John Bartley in the upcoming runoff would forecast a vote against Mayor Nathan Bates  in the mayoral recall election on May 11.   

This association does Mr. Bartley a disservice. Mr. Sare’s statement perpetuates the politics of retaliation that seems to characterize our city at the moment.

I believe it is in the best interest of Stillwater for the citizens to keep the runoff and recall votes separate in our minds.

 

Deborah K. Meinke

Stillwater