Letter to the editor

Once again it has come to my daily thoughts about a letter to the editor that I wrote last August about gossips, troublemakers and negative people. My last letter was to defend the (Excelsior Springs Police Department).

Recently, a few people have again taken to social media to trash the City and the Council. A Council that includes: Ambrose Buckman, who has been on for 10 years, Brent McElwee, eight years, Sonya Morgan, seven years, Sharon Powell, five years, and myself, seven years. A total of thirty-seven years of collective service and experience. We work hard to do what is best for Excelsior Springs. It is not always easy. It is not always popular.

Troublemakers:

In recent weeks, I have been trashed and accused of something unethical. Let me set the record straight. I have never bid a job for the city of (Excelsior Springs) or any other cities. I work for individuals, many churches, never charging them, I volunteer more often than not, do you? This person has already called me, questioning me, and accusing me. Do your due diligence, ask the editor to investigate, which I know you

have. Call the news media, which I know you already have. When you find out your rumor mill is incorrect, then go back to social media and apologize. I know you won’t, but that’s ok, because anyone who has an understanding of ethics, knows I would not do it anyway.

Gossips:

As to the recent hottest topic in social media, the airport, any numbers shown from anyone other than the City Manager or the Finance Director are a waste of ink. With the cost of maintenance, staff, utilities, phones, mowing, fuel, repairs, the City has exhausted its efforts trying to make a dying airport viable.  Pilots needed fuel, we bought fuel, with a new tank, card readers, a canopy, and numerous other items. It failed! The cost to try to keep it up and running was astronomical. In 2016, we needed a new runway, at a cost of around $500,000, approximately $50,000 out of tax payer’s pockets. It failed! (At this time, I will apologize because I voted yes to this project). Next, it was the new hangers. We were told build them, they will come. We found the possibility of private investors building the hangers … wait, they were too expensive, we can’t afford the rent.

We had a couple wanting to take over the airport and run it privately, but the numbers wouldn’t work. Neither would the insurance on a few different occasions. The bottom line, it’s not working. If the Community Center only had 10 members, do you think it would stay open?  If people only drove by any businesses in town, but never went in, would that business still be there?   If our local grocery store had more employees than customers, would it be open?

Everything is a business or a service and must, at the very least, break even, not be a continued drain on taxpayers. At the City Council forum, held in 2012, for citizens to ask candidates questions, I was asked about the airport and why taxpayers kept having to supplement someone’s hobby. I replied that if it was losing money, I would try to make it work and make it viable. I have tried.  I am exhausted and I am frustrated.

Negative people:

The hatefulness of a few that want everything handed to them on a platter with a silver spoon, at no expense, except to the taxpayers, depresses me. I am done trying. It’s time to look at better options for the land and the betterment of Excelsior Springs. (This is my personal opinion, not the opinion of the Council or the City).

Let me just say, I love the City of Excelsior Springs! I feel very passionate about serving on this council, as I believe everyone sitting up here does.  We will continue to do what we were elected to do, by serving all of Excelsior Springs, no matter what some people say.

Thank you for everything that Excelsior Springs stands for!  God bless and have an extremely glorifying year. Remember to get out and vote in April for the experience and not for the gossips, troublemakers and negative people.

Mayor Brad Eales