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Let mayor do her job


Let us rewind to May 18, 2022 when Mayor Patricia Mitchell was sworn in as the Rhome Mayor. From that day forward, road blocks began in an attempt by the older council members and the administrator to do everything in their power to not let her do her job as mayor and exercise her powers given by state law.

We the citizens elected her by majority as she was the best choice. Why don’t they just let her be the mayor? What are they hiding from her or us? Whatever happened to honest and open government?

The secrecy has to stop. The citizens want to know how city money is being spent. She was given $125,000 and a contract to work as a consultant at $50 per hour.

We do not need a consultant and that $125,000 could have gone a long way to help with expenses. Now is the time for a forensic audit and investigation.

Citizens want answers and for the city to stop its overspending.

On Aug. 4, a special meeting was held. Citizens walked into the meeting curious as to why the meeting was called. Unfounded stories were told about a bogus hostile work environment, and it was scripted like a Hollywood movie and meticulously preplanned.

After long drawn out speeches by a councilman, most of the council, but not all, approved a large sum of money be given to the administrator who has resigned. It was as if it was a lottery jackpot for her.

In my opinion taking money from the citizens and giving it to an individual is wrong. How do you feel about naming the police chief as interim administrator at a substantial increase? Do we have money to burn? With the city in such debt already, in my opinion, we were a party to highway robbery. Citizens are flaming mad as this money could be used elsewhere.

The hostile work environment was to have begun when Patricia Mitchell was sworn in. In my opinion, it also continued and on Aug. 4 it appeared that the administrator and the previous council members were on a power trip and not thinking about citizens. The current regime — administrator and three council members — would not let the Mayor speak to any employees.

Government should be what is best for the city and not a matter of personal agendas and power plays. It is shameful the behind-the-scene antics that are going on in Rhome and the individual that did not get elected mayor keeps trying to gain control.

With inflation on the rise, we must be more mindful of city spending and regain the trust of our citizens.

Lisa Ann Wilson
Rhome

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