Globe Exchange

    ("City leaders tour several wastewater centers," Aug. 16) "I've seen the alternate plan proposed by Mike Weber. It holds many advantages over the commissioners' original idea. I fear they are shying away from any idea that is not their own. It bothers me that egos are being put before the good of Dodge City and its citizens."

    "I think the commissioners should have delayed a decision on buying the Rebein property until the city had thoroughly investigated other possible sites for the wastewater treatment plant. If the citizens were satisfied that the commission had taken a good look at other sites, their concerns about the Rebein property might be eased."

    "This is in regards to the proposed wastewater facility. There are so many questions and so much wrong with all this, it's hard to know where to begin.
    "I guess it starts with the three commissioners voters short-sightedly elected. Whose interests are they representing — the citizens of Dodge City, or their own agendas? How is the town supposed to grow, prosper? And what people are going to want to move here when you plunk a sewage plant right in the path of where town is growing?
    "Why not wait to find out the ruling on the casino first? Why is the city purchasing over 300 acres when the sewer plant is supposed to only need 30?
    "And lastly, isn't it a little bit of a conflict of interest that an elected county official receives a financial gain from a city government decision? Aren't there some kind of ethics laws protecting against this?"
 
    "Kudos to Brian Weber for speaking up for the rights of the citizens of Dodge City regarding the sewer treatment plant and its location, which will inevitably stop the growth  in the north area of Dodge City. Would the commissioners who voted for it want to build directly next to it?
    "I'm sure there were water rights available farther out in the country instead of just on the property owned by the family of County Commissioner Kim Goodnight. Something smells bad besides the future water reclamation plant, which is a sewer treatment plant dressed up in better wording by the mayor."

    ("California authorities find missing man's body," Aug. 15) "Edgar, may you be at peace with God. Always know that your friends in Modesto will NEVER forget you and everything you brought to our lives. I pray your family finds peace and comfort at this tragic time.
    "P.S.: Please look for my Brandon in heaven. I'm sure he is waiting for you. Keep an eye on him 'til I can get there. I love you, Edgar."

    "I've been watching the police brutality on television. Seems like every day, there's police brutality in some state or other. That includes Kansas also. With their stun guns and with their arresting people, then kicking them and hitting them and beating them up and stuff after they're defenseless and stuff.
    "I think that's terrible. That is terrible. The police brutality is terrible in every state anymore, and something should be done about it."

    "My son just participated in the Junior Demon football camp for third- through sixth-graders here in Dodge with the Red Demon coaches and players. I'm calling to comment on the fine young players that helped with the camp. They were all absolutely great. The young man my son called 'Tubbs' helped make it absolutely a great experience for my son.
    "I can't wait to watch you guys play on Friday night. Go, Demons!"

    "Bush and McCain made statements which harshly criticized Russia for invading the sovereign country of Georgia. I find their comments hypocritical because Bush and McCain said 'yes' to the unprovoked U.S. invasion into the sovereign country of Iraq. McCain: McSame as Bush."

    "Yes, it sure is nice to see a Phelps in the paper who isn't some religious fanatic from Topeka, Kansas. Congratulations, Phelps, in the Olympics."

    "Whenever I read or hear about people not voting for Barack Obama because he's black, it just makes my blood boil. First, in America, race should not matter. And if it does, we aren't as Christian-minded as we profess to be. Apparently, we have issues of racism, bigotry and hatred that need to be resolved.
    "Second, Barack Obama's mother was a white woman.
    "Third, in my opinion, Barack Obama is an intelligent, charismatic and visionary person — qualities that we haven't seen in a president for quite a long while."

    "Three parcels of land have recently been purchased by the city commissioners for over some millions of dollars. Recently, six sheets of the local paper published unpaid taxes. Plus, the school board wants a bond issue.
    "No wonder people move to other areas of the country. Who can afford to live in Dodge City?"

    "I think the Department of Transportation and the county law enforcement and city law enforcement maybe need to do some public service announcements or get the word out about if your windshield wipers are going, your headlights need to be on. Because with all this rainy weather and fog, over half of the vehicles I've encountered must be unaware of the law, including a postal truck. You would think they would know."

    "I noticed in the paper this morning, it says, 'Ford County taxpayers get the mill increase levy.' Why don't they put it down right? It's not Ford County taxpayers. It's the Ford County property owners, homeowners, that are getting the mill increase, not the taxpayers.
    "If they put a tax on the state tax, raised that up instead of raising homeowners' property up and running them out of their homes, everybody would have to pay. Then it would be fair. This isn't fair at all. It's not fair to the homeowners because they're getting booted right out of their house. You keep raising the property. Property's not gone up anywhere. It has dropped in value."

    "A few months ago, a city water well was closed because of an unknown seepage. If the wastewater disposal plant is located a mile north of the city, our water supply for years to come could be ruined by the seepage from that disposal area, and there is no way to control that seepage."

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