Government should operate openly and efficiently

During my Aug. 18 presentation to the New Ellenton City Council, I summarized my recent research on city activities and asked the council many questions, some of which were not answered.

Failure to answer questions in public seems consistent with a city policy under which residents are charged for responses to requests made under the state Code of Law's Freedom of Information Act. This tactic discourages residents from finding out what is happening in the city, sparks suspicion and rubs against the spirit of the law.

Among the city's many financial problems are these:

- For months, the council has tabled the approval of financial statements because of inaccuracies.

- Although the city has a council-mayor form of government, the mayor admitted that he alone is responsible for approving payment for unbudgeted use of all but one of the seven cell phones used by city employees.

- More money was spent building the new fire station than was allotted for construction of an entire city complex.

- The New Ellenton Technology Center is very expensive, highly under-used and provides no intrinsic value to the community. My review of the center's transaction binders -- which supposedly contain all of the information about computers being brought into, conditioned and sold through this facility -- revealed extremely poor record-keeping, disparity in equipment prices and no invoices showing the origin of computers. This facility's reconditioned computer sales will not generate its budgeted revenue stream.

Despite a planning commission member's repeated opposition to the procedure used to take it to council -- and strong public opposition to it -- a majority of the council members voted at a Sept. 15 meeting to adopt an updated zoning ordinance that includes a high-density planned unit development.

Were the owners of all property that is to be rezoned notified of the proposed change? Why is the mayor allowed to annex some properties into the city with just one call to a county office and no paper trail? Why is the city council unwilling to pay for a survey of the city's boundaries?

The problems in New Ellenton are neither Democrat vs. Republican nor black vs. white in nature, but rather a matter of right vs. wrong. It is time for serious action when a mayor exceeds his authority and a majority of the council allows it to go unchecked.

Furthermore, if council members are unwilling to do the research needed to make informed decisions; if they fear appearing stupid for asking questions about things such as financial statements; if they dare not cross the mayor for fear of losing a job or funding for a pet project; it is time that they be replaced by those who will serve the residents.

Vicki Simons is a resident of Aiken County.