Recall in Ward 4 and Who is Really Guilty of Personal Attacks

[Thomas k. Watson]

A small activist group wants to remove popularly elected officials. Councilman Martin was recalled by only 5% of his ward’s voters. Opponents of our council members claim to be the voice of the people, but don’t understand their larger community’s needs. In another recall group, some have been willing to spread lies and bully neighbors.

Fernley will eventually be constrained by our ability to use water resources and our attractiveness to newcomers. Our city council understands the need to provide sanitation and clean water that meets state and federal requirements. Our council members have always been professional. They are working right now to find better funding options than those presented by a few city managers. They still hope to offset some of the cost of our new water facility. Those city officials were replaced by your elected council of 2008 due to the expanding needs of our city.

One of the early concerns for nearby neighbors was the planned open drying ponds. The city closed the system and eliminated drying ponds and unnecessary exposure to the dust. However, the council couldn’t and wouldn’t toss out a needed community facility as a few strident opponents wanted. Thanks to our council for their integrity.

Councilman Chaffin is now in a recall. Petition circulators gathered their needed signatures. The decreased number of signatures now required by the legislature seems ludicrously small. Many of the petitioners attacked his decisions. This is not my main complaint with the group, though I believe their arguments on issues are weak.

Some petitioners attacked us personally with a claim that Curt took in-laws on a city business trip at city expense. As the in-laws in question, we know a vicious lie when we hear it. This character assassin stuck from the shadows. The damage they inflicted wasn’t felt until after the poison was injected. Curt can provide records on the trip in question showing he claimed only his necessary and allowable expenses. In another case, a petitioner tried to intimidate a skeptical homeowner, was verbally abusive on her porch, and had to be asked forcefully to leave by the woman’s husband.

Please make your own judgment about Curt’s positions. The recall process is meant to allow recourse to the disenfranchised, not free license for illegal and abusive behavior to support weak positions.

Tom and Barbara Watson, Curt's In-Laws and Your Neighbors

[Happynfernley!]

Excellent that Councilman Chaffin retained his seat and won! We need to focus on the positive. If we do people will want to come here, move here, build businesses here thus new jobs!