Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Mitch O'Brien was sworn in last night as a Pickerington City Council man according to the Lancaster Eagle Gazette this morning. I understand the vote to appoint Mr. O'Brien was unanimous. That means Doug Parker stood on his principles once more and voted against himself after trying to bloody Mitch up a bit for not running for the office and being on a petition committee to oppose the purchase of Hickory Lakes.

If Mr. Parker really felt the way he did then why did he vote to appoint Mitch? Maybe there should be some kind of I Q test given council people and Doug should be the first in line for the test. I don't know about others but I am confused where does Doug stand? If he opposed Mitch then vote against him or abstain. That would have sent the message he was trying to send.

Now Doug looks wishy washy to me.

Wish

Remember that Doug thought Don McAulliffe ''had it made.''

He is old news, his wishing and washing will be unimportant now.

Srtting the record straight

I think the record needs to be set straight on the ?“Hickory Lakes petition?”. There was no such thing as the ?“Hickory Lakes petition?” ?– there was however a referendum to stop the sewer plant expansion. Mr. O?’Brien was one of four sponsors of that petition. Now I seem to remember quite a lengthy letter to the editor he wrote to all the local papers explaining his reasoning for sponsoring. I also remember reading quotes from him in the Eagle-Gazette with the same explanation. What I remember reading was the he didn?’t support the expansion at its proposed magnitude. He thought a more cost effective proposal was warranted. Hickory Lakes was a victim of the sewer plant expansion referendum, not the purpose.

Well, after listening to the acting city manager last night, it appears Mr. O?’Brien was right in part. The magnitude of the expansion, at least in dollars, has been dramatically reduced. While the capacity may still remain the same, thanks to terrific value engineering done by Mr. Wiseman and associates, the cost is expected to be cut by dollars numbering in the millions. So even though the petition was shot down as usual, the effect is being felt.

I also remember reading in the letters to the editors that Mr. O?’Brien felt that Hickory Lakes was indeed an asset to the community but that the purchase should be considered by a partnership of the city and township and possibly the County. He never said that he was against the purchase, only that it was tied to an extremely overpriced sewer plant expansion. The previous city government repeatedly has driven a wedge between city and township residents and it appeared in my reading of the letters that Mr. O?’Brien thought that a joint purchase would help to remove that wedge. It each entity paid their fair portion, the community as a whole could reap the benefits of Hickory Lakes at a fair and equitable cost and fee.

Hopefully Mr. Parker can go back a few issues in the local press and read this information for himself. Hopefully the Buscillas and their families will too.

Stop bickering

Have you considered the fact that Doug Parker may have voted in favor of O'Brien to make an effort to work with the new council members? Seems to me that some people want to constantly bicker and be negative regardless. Vote ''against'' Shaver and his views and Doug's the bad guy. Vote WITH Shaver and his views and now he's wishy washy? Stop being so petty and give the council a chance to work. Stop putting them all in a no-win situation. And just for the record, I voted FOR Shaver and the rest of the new council members. Be fair to all of them, please.