Priorities, authority, questioned
To the editor:
With another 15 percent utility rate hike looming this October, I would think most utility ratepayers would probably agree that trying to find an equitable solution to the water and sewer rates is a rather important issue in the city right now. As such council has been convening as the Committee of the Whole (COW), UEP Rate Meetings on the first and third Wednesday of the month.
On Wednesday, April 7, Councilmember Deile was MIA from the UEP rate meeting that featured an informative presentation by Burton and Associates. It appears Councilmember Deile had another political function to attend for a Congressional member. We have since learned in a subsequent letter to the Congress member dated April 12, that Mr. Deile is apparently trying to peddle some city owned land “171 acres” (Academic Village perhaps?) and “674 acres” (Festival Park perhaps?) to the federal government.
Also on April 6, the mayor wrote the following memo to city council: “Please be advised that I have excused Council member Deile from tomorrow’s UEP Committee of the Whole meeting.” Since the mayor only has one vote on council, I believe the mayor is assuming power that is not vested in his office. Council needs to be aware that excusing a fellow council member is a function of the council as a whole and is not a decree of the mayor.
Ralph LePera
Cape Coral