To the editor:

After listening to Councilman Bill Holdeman’s comments at the Marion City Council meeting Dec. 13 regarding the city getting rid of 12 city employees and giving the Police Department a pay raise, I find it necessary to respond.

The city currently has 26 full-time employees in the following departments: three in administration, one economic development, one library, four police department, two street department, one cemetery, one parks department, five electric department, two water plant, two water distribution, two sewer department, and two refuse department.

We have 32 part-time employees in the following departments: one museum, 18 fire department, one burn site attendant, one baseball complex, four library, one court judge, four councilmen, and one mayor.

Holdeman implicated that he would like the council to consider doing away with fulltime positions, get rid of two trucks, buy one small truck, and have one person oversee the workers who are remaining. If this was the case, I wonder which personnel he would suggest we get rid of?

Maybe the four employees on the electric crew who turn your electricity back on should we have another ice storm or windstorm or the two on the sewer department who fix sewer lines in need of repair or the two on the street department who maintain the streets.

Maybe the four in the water department who maintain the water lines and make the water you drink or the three police officers and a clerk in the police department who you call to report a crime or maybe the utility billing clerk, secretary, city clerk, or city administrator in administration.

If he is referring to part-time help, does he propose to reduce the number of volunteers we have on the fire department, library, burn site, baseball complex, court, or council? If this is the case then I would suppose full-time city employees will have to perform these functions; so again services the city provide to our residents would suffer.

Your city workers have always been dedicated to providing the best services to our residents. Should you agree with Holdeman then you should be prepared to not enjoy the services you currently receive.

I felt compelled to write this letter, specifically on behalf of our city workers, because Holdeman’s comments in this council meeting has made them feel unappreciated and I want to let them know that everyone does not agree with Councilman Bill Holdeman’s suggestions and there are residents who do appreciate their dedication to the City of Marion.

I would suggest if the city wants to save funds that consideration be given to going back to a three-person commission.

David Mayfield
City Administrator