Dear Editor,
Oh, by gosh, by golly, it’s time for misinterpretation and folly.
Although it is not the season for the tune, it appears to be the season for this message. Once again, our Clarkston City Council has proven that they want to be the sole interpreters of what a ‘law? means.
There is an ordinance which bans bicycles from city sidewalks. The council’s comment is that really only applies to downtown, although that is not what the ordinance says.
There is an ordinance which bans parking on any city streets between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. The council’s comment is that only applies during the winter months, to facilitate snow removal, and was ‘unenforceable? with the Sheriff’s Department covering the night shift ? besides, they say, some people have nowhere else to park their cars; but, that is not what the ordinance says.
The City Charter says that it is the city manager’s function to ‘supervise and coordinate the work of the administrative officers and departments (police and DPW) of the city?.?
And, that ‘except for the purposes of inquiries and investigations, the council or its members shall deal with city officers and employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the city manager solely through the city manager?.?
And, yet, on two occasions during the last council meeting a council person was asked to ‘tell? a department head what to do. Also, I have personally heard a council member admit to telling a department head what to do.
When is a city ‘law? the law, and who gave the city council members the right to decide how, when, or if a law is interpreted or enforced? This is our City isn’t it?
Tom Stone
Clarkston