Dear Editor,
Two things have happened in Goodrich that I feel need a response. The first one: Wartella and her followers are again petitioning to recall, Horton, Lucik, Morey and myself. The reason: ‘We did not reduce village costs.? We ran on the promise to reduce the tax assessment by 30 percent and provide the most service that we could with the remainder of the funds we had left. That’s exactly what we have done. We have not raised taxes.
The second item is a little more concerning. Some months ago, the council decided to seek a contract extension with Republic Waste to provide trash hauling for the village. The figures submitted by Republic Waste were discussed at length during our May regular meeting. We did not seek bids, nor was the public hearing at the June regular meeting about bids. The public hearing was required by law before the special assessment for trash could be put on the tax rolls.
Wartella asked that it be put on the agenda at the June meeting and I refused. The reason is, it would have been unethical to do so. The village, if it were seeking bids, is required by law to seek sealed bids. The Richfield bid was not asked for, nor sealed. Wartella, on her own with no direction from the council, met with Richfield Waste knowing the figures submitted by Republic Waste, to seek a bid. During the public hearing, Wartella was advocating for Richfield Waste.
Considering the events that have taken place in Detroit, politics more than ever needs to be transparent. Wartella met behind closed doors with a private firm seeking to do business with the village. What she did not only violated the village charter, it is completely unethical as an elected representative. Doing any business behind closed doors as a public official will lead to a lack of public trust. Whose interest is she representing?
Whether you agree or disagree with the decisions of Horton, Lucik, Morey and myself, we have stuck to what we promised and we have conducted village business in the open.
We don’t expect everyone to agree with us, but we do things aboveboard. If the recall movement moves forward and Wartella’s followers ask you to sign the recall petition, what type of person do you want conducting your business? Individuals who work in the open or those who choose to do business behind closed doors? Just something to think about.
Edmund C. York II, Goodrich Village Council President