Dear Editor:
I was quite disappointed that you did not print my response last week which pointed out some inaccuracies.
Although I may not still be a candidate after Feb 6, I still think it is important to correct the record. Your latest edition Feb 3-Feb 9, also contained some inaccurate statements:
(1) I have never suggested closed door meetings of the full council. What I suggested was communication between the Mayor and council members behind closed doors to avoid the acrimony. I am totally in favor of full debate of issues and council members voting their conscience instead of deciding what their faction is going to do before the meeting and then attacking the other side on the council floor.
(2) I have been having fireside chats all over the city to hear what citizens have to say and let them know my positions on issues. It has been a valuable experience. If I am still in the race I will continue to meet with any and all who wish to do so.
(3) I have serious plans to work with neighborhoods and have never mentioned the words “affordable housing”. I don’t know where you got that.
Thank you for your attention.
Grace Nichols
Editor’s response,
Your letter was received too late for inclusion into our last edition.
Call it what you may but closed door meetings between the Mayor and council members is still a violation of the sunshine law. I would have thought that being a former Mayor and retired Judge you would have known that. One of the problems in St. Charles has been too many closed door deals being made for friends and special interests and then trying to convince the public otherwise.
I think it is admirable you are concerned enough to have fireside chats with residents. We never criticized them. We were just pointing out how interesting it was that the attendees of your chats had previously been strong supporters of the Mayor.
If you go back over some of the statements you made you will find the words “affordable housing.”
Dear Editor,
I returned home from Washington, D.C. where hundreds of thousands of people gathered from all over the United States to March for Peace on the National Mall at the Capitol. All of them there for one reason, to stop the escalation of this war, save our brave men and women putting their lives on the line every minute of every day and bring them home. Since we marched the deaths reached 3,090 by Friday, many more were wounded and lots of Iraqi’ men, women and children were killed and wounded as well, 127 dead yesterday. Last night I watched a program titled “Combat Hospital” and cried as medic's fought to save horribly wounded men and women sent to war by our government under false intelligence and I’ve watched the Libby trial reports about how this administration wanted Sadam so badly that they even went after Joe Wilson , who reported Sadam was not trying to get Uranium from Niger, and his wife to keep the truth from the American people . Now the media is being manipulated again with almost the exact same rhetoric so that we will support another escalation into Iran. When Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney tell me I am hurting the troops by trying to end the war and bring them home or that I am encouraging the terrorists, it has nothing to do with the truth and they know it. For all those who believe this war is just, there are many who say they should go there themselves and fight and let our son’s and daughters come home. I say no one should be there, no one should die or lose a limb or have their brains and insides shattered by this war and there should be no more hate mongering to advance political agendas. A friend told me the Peace March made him want to puke. It’s the death and maiming that makes me want to puke, the children dying and the mothers crying. It makes me sick enough to write letters, join peace marchers and plead with my government to listen to the majority of it’s citizens and please, end it now.
Sandra Vago
