For hire
When a candidate seeks a newspaper's endorsement, it's sort of a job interview. That's how The Sun's editorial board views it, to the dismay of 6th Ward City Council candidate Stewart Cumming ("I would work for the 6th Ward, not for you"). The sharpest response comes from 5th Ward candidate Randall Lee, who, in ending his editorial board interview, mused, "It's not like I'm applying for a $150,000-a-year job." The editorial board didn't need to remind incumbent 5th Ward Councilman Chas Kelley. "You know," he said, "this is sort of like a job interview." How'd they do? Stay tuned. The newspaper's endorsements will be published about the time absentee ballots are sent out in early October.
Let me guess. Will The Sun go with the candidate that sticks to the best interest of the citizen-voters, Mr. Kelley? Will The Sun endorse Mr. Kelley, one of our top notch advocates for reason, clarity, and sanity in our Council?
Will The Sun endorse Mr. Kelley, who refuses to be a rubber stamp for the Mayor? If The Sun will endorse Mr. Kelley, Ms. McCammack, and Mr. Penman, I will be very, very,very surprised. These are the only remaining guards of the City's best interests.
ps..Councilman Derry deserves our thanks also.
I like to respect each ward's decision about who is best suited to represent them and leave it at that. When you mentioned Chas Kelley, I thought to write but thought that best left to his constituents. When you then mentioned Neal Derry deserving our thanks, I felt compelled to respond.
You see, I am invited to speak at meetings throughout our city and have been an extremely active local community betterment guest speaker and organizer/facilitator at meetings since 1991.
Chas Kelley stands out as someone who is frequently present at meetings - even outside his ward - offering a presence of City Hall's ear to the members of the public turning out for after-work community meetings.
In the Cajon-Northpark region of Neal Derry's ward, the active community members have been emphatic in their repeated complaints to me and anyone else who will listen that Neal Derry DOES NOT RESPOND TO CONSTITUENT COMMUNICATIONS TIME & TIME AGAIN, WITHOUT EXCEPTION. Requests for him to attend community meetings are IGNORED; no declining the invitation, just dead silence.
I have personally been present at meetings in this part of Neal Derry's ward where the sole city council representation is that of CHAS KELLEY.
I have NEVER heard so much as one disparaging remark about Chas Kelley - and I have yet to observe an instance of him acting in any but the most admirable of ways.
Chas has no political motivation for attending the meetings in Neal Derry's ward. After all, it IS Neal Derry's ward, not Chas Kelley's ward.
Still, Chas Kelley's presence at the meetings in his own ward as well as providing city council representation at meetings COMPLETELY IGNORED BY NEAL DERRY REPEATEDLY in Neal's ward is a fine testament to his dedication to San Bernardino.
Thanks, in this instance, are only deserved and earned by CHAS KELLEY. NEAL DERRY HAS DONE NOTHING TO EARN THANKS THAT I HAVE HEARD ABOUT FROM HIS CONSTITUENTS OR SEEN MYSELF - not even after I have shared the news that he is inattentive with others in a position to encourage and mentor him.
Your Friend & Neighbor Supporting Local Community & Personal Betterment In San Bernardino,
Susana Atanasova