Verner ignored problems

Mayor Mary Verner deserved to be shown the door. Verner’s management style – place head in sand – was painfully evident. Her lack of leadership is obvious both in the Otto Zehm case and in the chaos that masquerades as functioning Spokane city departments.

I presented Verner with hundreds, maybe thousands, of serious conditions, all potentially damaging to private property, that exist because of poor city planning and policy. Most impacted citizens are completely unaware of these problems. You would think there would be at least a slight interest on the part of Verner’s government in what I had to say; yet my letters were completely ignored.

Mary Verner went down because she lacked leadership skills and she arrogantly ignored those she was elected to serve. Ignore the single citizen and get away with it, but ignore most of the citizens, as Verner has, and there is usually a reckoning at least every four years.

Hopefully, Verner’s demise will send a message to Mayor-elect David Condon to look carefully into city departments and make the deep and necessary leadership changes that will return city government to a place where the city works for the citizen and not the other way around.

Robert Flowers

Spokane