Comments on: Mayor reneges on “What’s best for White River Township residents” statement http://www.centergroveinc.org/2009/02/27/mayor-reneges/ Following the future of White River Township Wed, 02 Nov 2011 18:10:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bill Heller http://www.centergroveinc.org/2009/02/27/mayor-reneges/comment-page-1/#comment-190 Bill Heller Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:35:22 +0000 http://centergroveinc.org/?p=671#comment-190 Herein is the beauty of the reorganization process the legislature has provided us: the reorg committee will do what it is organized to do--study reorganization and "merger", nothing else. No one and no law prevents citizens from organizing a self-incorporation examination. In the end the question will go to the electorate to decide if reorganization/"merger" is agreeable. What could be fairer? And why would anyone object to the Mayor of Greenwood speaking for Greenwood's interests? Resident's of WRT will speak for theirs. If people have concerns about what the reorg committees will address, get off the couch and attend meetings and make your concerns known! Herein is the beauty of the reorganization process the legislature has provided us: the reorg committee will do what it is organized to do–study reorganization and “merger”, nothing else. No one and no law prevents citizens from organizing a self-incorporation examination. In the end the question will go to the electorate to decide if reorganization/”merger” is agreeable. What could be fairer? And why would anyone object to the Mayor of Greenwood speaking for Greenwood’s interests? Resident’s of WRT will speak for theirs. If people have concerns about what the reorg committees will address, get off the couch and attend meetings and make your concerns known!

]]> By: Jody Veldkamp http://www.centergroveinc.org/2009/02/27/mayor-reneges/comment-page-1/#comment-185 Jody Veldkamp Sat, 28 Feb 2009 16:53:14 +0000 http://centergroveinc.org/?p=671#comment-185 Allow me to clarify my point. The mayor should represent the best interest of his city but . . . I have received several emails concerning my last post which made me realize I need to clarify my point. The mayor of our neighboring city first stated that his interest was what was best for the citizens of White River Township and whatever they decide would be fine with him. However when presented with the possibility of a city of equal size forming on his border he changed his position. If the citizens of WRT expect Greenwood, or its mayor, to watch out for their interest they are sadly mistaken. Residents of unincorporated WRT need to be responsible for their own future and not trust it to anyone, the mayor or Common Council of Greenwood, the Town Council of Bargersville, their elected WRT representatives or even the reorganization study committee. Self determination, it is what founded our nation, will determine our future if we step up to the responsibility it entails. Allow me to clarify my point. The mayor should represent the best interest of his city but . . .

I have received several emails concerning my last post which made me realize I need to clarify my point. The mayor of our neighboring city first stated that his interest was what was best for the citizens of White River Township and whatever they decide would be fine with him. However when presented with the possibility of a city of equal size forming on his border he changed his position. If the citizens of WRT expect Greenwood, or its mayor, to watch out for their interest they are sadly mistaken. Residents of unincorporated WRT need to be responsible for their own future and not trust it to anyone, the mayor or Common Council of Greenwood, the Town Council of Bargersville, their elected WRT representatives or even the reorganization study committee.

Self determination, it is what founded our nation, will determine our future if we step up to the responsibility it entails.

]]> By: Dann Veldkamp http://www.centergroveinc.org/2009/02/27/mayor-reneges/comment-page-1/#comment-184 Dann Veldkamp Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:51:05 +0000 http://centergroveinc.org/?p=671#comment-184 Larry, I understand your position and essentially agree with it. The reason we thought this was worth noting is because the mayor has taken great pains in the past to voice his openness to all options. He stood in front of a gathering of hundreds of citizens and stated his interests were aligned with the best interests of the citizens of WRT. No one compelled him to make this comment in public. Again, while the reorganization committee was forming he said time and again that he didn't want members of the committee to have any preconceived position concerning reorganization. (Something that always confused me, I would think one would want reorganization supporters on the committee.) But now, once the committee is in place and Greenwood is firmly in control, he changes his position. Perhaps I should not be surprised when a politician says one thing and then, effectively, does another. But I was hopeful that this time a local politician would either say nothing or stand by what he said. I think the biggest impact of this change is that it severely limits the options left to residents of unincorporated WRT. Obviously, if we don't want to be chopped into little pieces, annexation by annexation, we had better go along with whatever the reorganization committee proposes. And while that may not be the worst thing that could happen, I'd be surprised if it offered any real change in the efficiency of government. Dann Larry, I understand your position and essentially agree with it. The reason we thought this was worth noting is because the mayor has taken great pains in the past to voice his openness to all options. He stood in front of a gathering of hundreds of citizens and stated his interests were aligned with the best interests of the citizens of WRT. No one compelled him to make this comment in public. Again, while the reorganization committee was forming he said time and again that he didn’t want members of the committee to have any preconceived position concerning reorganization. (Something that always confused me, I would think one would want reorganization supporters on the committee.) But now, once the committee is in place and Greenwood is firmly in control, he changes his position.

Perhaps I should not be surprised when a politician says one thing and then, effectively, does another. But I was hopeful that this time a local politician would either say nothing or stand by what he said.

I think the biggest impact of this change is that it severely limits the options left to residents of unincorporated WRT. Obviously, if we don’t want to be chopped into little pieces, annexation by annexation, we had better go along with whatever the reorganization committee proposes. And while that may not be the worst thing that could happen, I’d be surprised if it offered any real change in the efficiency of government.

Dann

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