Dear Editor:
Ms. Shirley Kautman-Jones has no idea as to how to conduct an orderly meeting nor does it appear that she understands the democratic process under which government business is conducted. In a democracy, the majority rules and Jones must have three votes to make anything happen. She does not get to run a bulldozer over other boardmembers, nor is she allowed to beat them into submission with verbal abuse.
Jones? method of operation seems to be to pack the audience with a bunch of her cronies and have them heap whatever abuse they feel like onto the other four boardmembers. So far they have stooped to name-calling, getting out of their seats and confronting the township attorney by sticking a finger in his face while pointing and shouting. They do everything they can in an attempt to intimidate boardmembers to support Jones or to make it appear they are not cooperative. These people need to understand that the Atlas Township Board was elected to support the citizens of Atlas Township, not Jones. As far as voter support goes, Jones just barely eked out a win in the primary election in August, and in the November election all four other boardmembers received more votes than Jones. Her following is rather shallow. The four members that Jones and her cronies are trying to intimidate represent the majority of our community.
Atlas Township Board Trustee June, Clerk Onica, Treasurer Slagle and Trustee Statson are to be commended for refusing to allow themselves to be bullied by a bunch of rabble-rousers of the likes of Dick Piffer. We, the people who elected them, are proud of them and supportive of the positions they have taken on our behalf. We know that the majority of the township board, the entire planning commission and zoning board of appeals are looking out for our best interests.
Gasper Serra
Goodrich