I believe it is unfortunate that open public meetings are used to divert the city council’s time, taxpayer money, annoy public employees and elected officials in attempts to find something, anything, that proves alleged illegal or underhanded activity by TF city.

Facebook is no place to conduct public business. Read the postings of agendas, legal notices and minutes in the newspaper, on buildings and the city website. The website has a wealth of information on numerous city related topics. It is citizen’s responsibility to be up to date on issues that impact them. If someone doesn’t read the legal notices posted as required that is on them, not the public entity. I confess I spent very little time in the past on public business and am slowly rectifying that.

We need to trust individuals and institutions at some point and some level in our lives. We often decide to trust medical professionals, electricians, accountants and the people who sell us firewood. Disagreements are inevitable; mistakes are made; that we handle them in a well-reasoned manner is vital to a civil society.

Until I receive credible information that Thompson Falls employees or elected officials are unprofessional or worse with public duties I’m going to assume they are doing their job in a competent manner and adequately supervised. To do otherwise is not in the best interests of city business and residents, disrespectful and focuses on nonproductive issues. Don’t assume all public agencies are corrupt or incompetent in all circumstances and all the time.

Thompson Falls and Sanders County are sometimes a reflection of the same dysfunctional behavior observed at public meetings in many other states at almost all levels and of course Washington, DC. If we fall prey to underhanded tactics or assign evil motives to justify our goals it will continue to damage our democracy and the social cohesion required for a rational society. At the very least we can agree to disagree and continue to be civil with each other.

Steve Oswald,

Thompson Falls