While I was mayor, I would not have allowed Mr. Schommer to try and avoid the hard discussion that a responsible public servant would have with residents of a community.  But this council allowed him to sell them on raising the water main assessment for residents on Chambersburg Road from nothing to $5,000 without notifying residents council intended to authorize the impending change.  

This 29 second video is from the Oct 3, 2017 work session.  Here the city representative tells a resident from Chambersburg road there will not be an assessment:



 In this second 49 second video from Nov 21, 2017, the city representative confirms there will not be an assessment to residents:




Now go to the city website and listen to the first two minutes of the discussion that raises the assessment from $0 to $5,000.  You will hear the City Manager imply residents are getting a deal because the city is planning on using a 12 inch water main instead of the normal 8 inch used for residental streets.  

This explanation is a prime example of deceiptful spin.  Keep in mind, my objection is to the city disguising the change in cost, in hopes of avoiding a fair discussion, before the vote is taken.  If you listen to all of the November 21, 2017 discussion you will see that I suggested the policy council implemented in Feb 2019.  There is a huge difference between how it would have been implemented when I was mayor and now.  I definitely would not have tried to slip such a significant change in cost on a resident without giving them a chance to argue the city made them a committment and should honor that committment.  


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It is painful for me to watch council meetings.  Council and the City Manager have reverted back to the deceitful spin I did not allow while serving as Mayor.  Before I was mayor I would attend meetings and notice that much of what was being said did not ring true.  The city's annoyance with deceit helped get me elected.   This led to four years of transparency and forthright discussion.