11/3/09
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11 comments
EDITORIAL
Questions for the mayor
Mayor Don Stanford a week ago agreed to sit down with Daily editors and discuss progress in the city. He said he needed to check his calendar before committing to a date. We thought the one-year anniversary of his term in office was a good time for the mayor to take stock of the previous year and discuss the future. The mayor hasn’t gotten back to us on that date as he promised. In the meanwhile, he refused to answer city hall reporter Evan Belanger’s questions for Sunday’s piece on the mayor and City Council. Here are some of the questions we would ask the mayor: What are your plans for this year? What are you doing to position the city for industrial growth and housing after the recession ends? Are there any things you would do differently if given the chance? If so, what are they? Do you enjoy being mayor? How many hours a week do you estimate you work for the city? Explain your typical day as mayor. Why do you spend so much time away from City Hall? What are you doing when you are not at City Hall? Why won’t you disclose the reasons you initially put Chief Financial Officer Gail Busbey on paid administrative leave? Please tell us why the city ended up paying her $93,000 to retire. What went wrong with your attempt to dismiss her with cause, or was that ever the case? Did you discuss this case with City Council members? If so, which ones? What did you tell them or they tell you? Mayor, what tips could you give City Council members to help them help you? What is your position on hiring two senior managers to assist you? Alabama doesn’t have recall of its public officials, but if it did, do you think voters would vote you out of office before your term ends? Why do you suppose so many people want to change the city’s form of government? Does wanting change have any thing to do with your first year’s performance? You told our writer Belanger the city had a great first year with you as mayor. Will you please explain those achievements? Would you grade your performance with an A, B, C, D or F? Why would you give yourself that grade? Do you think you are earning your $100,480 city pay? If so, why? Mayor, your answers most probably will bring more questions, but these are some we want to ask. Clear your calendar and meet with us because a city wants answers from you.
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He gets a grade of "Z" - this is WAY past failure. If he wants some admin assistants, let him pay for them himself until he gets the budget in order, I'm sure he just wants them to do his job anyway.
I agree with Joseph from Decatur! Standford gets a "Z", the absolute lowest grade possible. A new low for low. His performance has fallen short of even the most regressive and pessimistic expectations. His performance actually went into negative assessment parameters it was so bad. Yeah, a "Z" about says it all. Except that I must also add: STANDFORD, RESIGN NOW!!
After reading these questions...it's no wonder he's not returning calls to the DD. I predict that he will either never respond, or respond with an "approved" list of questions.
Yeah, good luck with that interview.
Decatur Daily please stay on this story. We the citizens of Decatur want ALL those questions answered. I personally want the questions answered about Gail Busbey. We are VERY upset with the mayor and want answers!! Please stay on the mayor and get us answers. He still thinks in his la-la land he lives in he has done no wrong and doing a good job I guess.
11-3 FROM LEO YOUR EDITORIAL WAS WELL THOUGHT OUT. YOU MUST CONTINUE TO PURSUE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS. ANY MAYOR WHO RUNS FOR THE JOB SHOULD BE OBLIGATED AND RESPONSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR HIS ACTIONS. SO FAR....HE MUST BELIEVE HE IS NOT REQUIRED TO ANSWER TO ANYONE. GO GET 'EM !!
Don Stanford will go down in the history of Decatur as it's most incompetant Mayor ever.He is a disgrace to this town.
The mayor owes the daily absolutely NOTHING!! The daily does not run this town. I would not giveyou a interview either Tom. Your paper is a total JOKE!!! A leftist radical paper that twist and turns the mayors every word just so it can sell papers, printing scandalous headlines just so it can sell papers!! I really feel sorry for the people of the Florence area, no doubt the times daily will suffer greatly by the Sheltons owning it as well. I f people have questions I suggest calling city hall if you have the BALLS or go and see the man in person!! Get out from behind your keyboard your spinless citizens!!!
C'mon Mr. Standford, be civil. You're arrogance and ignorance are both showing at full strength. How "un-mayorly" of you.
He's not going to answer any of the questions. That would require a spine and good morals. Something he should have learned from his father but if the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, he didn't get that from his dad.
Mossy Oaks, the mayor does not owe the DD anything that is true but his actions indicate that he believes he does not owe the people of Decatur anything either. He does as he pleases and if people don't like it then that is just too bad. He lies also by saying he will responde to questions about various things and then doesn't. He emits an air of superiority and I have only seen him on TV.