Springfield News-Leader

With all the hubbub following the hiring of the new Springfield city manager, you would think city officials would be doing all they could to demonstrate the fairness and thoroughness of the hiring process.

A $20 breeder's permit and $100 litter permit have significantly reduced the number of unwanted pets at the St. Joseph city pound.

The use of tire gauges is a small step in the right direction from the horrible deficit of energy and environmental policies created by Ronald Reagan, the Bush presidents and the global powers that be!

I would like to respond to Ozark Alderman Rick Amos' recent article in the News-Leader. Rick was obviously in a bad mood when he went off on me and several other Ozark citizens. As a matter of fact, I don't believe I've ever seen such a display of anger and just plain nastiness launched from a servant of the people. Let me just give the citizens of Ozark a heads-up on what might be stressing out ol' Rick these days.

I would like to thank those who have contacted me to express an opinion on the current redevelopment issue in Ozark. I have a clear understanding how busy people are and we don't normally take additional time from our families and other interest to get involved politically. However, it has been encouraging to hear positive comments rather than the same negative comments month after month from the same select few.

Remember back in the old days when we used to fret about how girls weren't doing as well in school as guys were, especially in math and science? Ah, that seems so last century.

A ROSE: To Jeff Newlin and staff at Play it Again Sport for their honesty and integrity. They bought my stolen golf clubs and returned them to me the same night.

It is the same old story, "not in my backyard." I am talking about the practice of spreading sewer sludge on fields. I realize that the city must dispose of the sludge. I realize the valuable benefit to farmers and cattlemen receiving this sludge. With the cost of fertilizer at an all-time high, this is a valuable commodity. I do not oppose this practice. My problem is with the offensive odor. I assume there is no way to mask or remove the odor.

With all the negative political charges and countercharges being exchanged today, you know ... offshore drilling, how expensive were those shoes?, the use of nitwit gals in ads, ala, Brittany Spears and Paris Hilton, I wonder why there's not more focus on things that are killing us?

San Diego -- Hillary Clinton was right about one thing: This election has boiled down to a choice between change versus experience.

A ROSE: To the thoughtful and honest person who rescued and returned the cane that was accidentally dropped by an 88-year-old woman while others were trying to assist her, and returned it to a member of Diamond S Auction Co., Springfield, Aug. 9.

It is interesting to note all the controversy and questioning by some people surrounding the selection of Greg Burris as our new city manager. It seems their concerns center around the fact that Greg has had no previous experience as a city manager.

Did a garden outside a business catch your eye as you rode to work today? Did you stop on your evening walk to admire a neighbor's plantings?

After reading the Voices Section of the Springfield News-Leader on Sunday, it concerned me that you had failed to also include the part of our telephone conversation earlier in the week that, since 1999, the city of Springfield has had a Citizen's Review Board. Its responsibility, as directed by City Council ordinance and policy, is to provide an avenue for citizens to have their complaints about officers from the Springfield Police Department reviewed by other citizens.

Matt Blunt is just plain "windy" when he talks of the state budget, budget surpluses, liberals, Jay Nixon and the facts (in his Local Voices column of Aug. 15). Matt talks of being handed an "insolvent wreck" regarding the state budget when he became governor. This statement goes beyond windy. Blunt intentionally misrepresents Missouri government and the budget for his own personal gain.

I have been following the search for the new Springfield city manager. Hiring a new city manager, without city management experience, for a sum greater than his predecessors has, seemingly, created a firestorm of controversy on many levels.

From all appearances, the City Council must have slept through the hiring process that has resulted in Mr. (Greg) Burris being selected as the new city manager. From the very beginning, this community was told that this would be a transparent process, a very careful and detailed process that would ensure the best-qualified candidate was hired. That is not what happened and the results do not support it. The search firm hired to move forward with the recruiting process advertised that "the ideal candidate would have 10 years of municipal experience, with prior service as a city manager, assistant/deputy city manager or the equivalent in a comparable or larger community." Using this criteria alone, Mr. Burris is not qualified for the job of city manager, so how did he end up with the job? A better question might be, "when was the decision to give the job to Mr. Burris made, before the process began or after?" There certainly seems to be a smell of "pre-selection" emanating from the hiring process. Mr. Burris somehow made the final cut, when in effect he should not have even been among the top finalists based solely on his lack of previous city manager experience.

In your paper on Sunday, Aug. 10, Richard Monroe, Democratic candidate for the 7th Congressional District, demanded policy based on facts in the great energy debate.

Can you help me settle an argument? My friend and I are in disagreement about some of the letters you publish.

This may sound egotistical, but when I go to the polls in November I will be voting for myself for U.S. representative in Missouri's 7th Congressional District.