Miller needs reminder he serves constituents

Along with a standing-room only crowd, I attended the Sandpoint City Council meeting last week.

Among other items of business, council discussed and a vote was taken on a proposal regarding the city accepting three acres of land from the state of Idaho.

Quite contrary to the article in a recent Bee quoting Mayor Ray Miller, there was no anti-byway sentiment expressed by any council member. In point of fact, most stated for the record that they supported the project.

Their "no" vote on this matter related specifically to the wording of the memorandum of understanding drafted by the state, and the lack of clear definition of the purpose of the gift of land (was it to be a "park" or a "parking lot?"), the costs of the project and who would bear them, and the as-yet-undefined, long-term maintenance costs.

As Councilwoman Helen Newton stated, "What's the rush? Let's establish the full facts before we vote."

During the open discussion period, Mayor Miller was rude, patronizing and extremely disrespectful of the elected city council members, short on facts and seemingly quite determined to bulldog this issue through council without discussion. His subsequent public utterances in the Bee merely reinforce this observation.

Mayor Miller needs a reminder that he serves at the behest of his constituents, and is but one of the elected officials serving with Sandpoint City Council. As he is quoted in the Bee, "The bright spot is it's an election year."

PHIL AUSTIN

Sandpoint