I would like to publicly apologize to my wife Robin.
She was not elected to public office, I was. Robin has never asked for any type of payment and would not accept it even if offered, although citizens in support have suggested it. She does what she does out of love of her adopted home.
I have allowed her to be pulled into a controversy in which she is not involved. I asked her to personally pick up items at Wal-Mart for the city that I previously had taken the time to purchase.
During the four years of the MDOT Summer youth grant, Robin voluntarily supervised over 100 young people during the 10-week programs. She even went so far as to cook a full breakfast for all of them every Friday morning, as we had their enrichment program. She and I purchased those needed items together. If you have ever seen her work, you know she doesn’t slow down, and when volunteers are offering to work, or fine workers are working with her, there is no time to waste, waiting for a needed supply. She needs to have it already on hand when they start working. I checked out the card with the list of items needed and their purposes. She returned the card and receipts.
The animosity toward her started much earlier than that from Aldermen Brock and Elder just to discredit me. Alderman Brock continually said that it was a conflict that my wife worked in that position. I asked him how can it be a conflict when she is volunteering, using her truck, gas, her trailer, and in most cases, her supplies?
He had no response.
One alderman even made sarcastic remarks about her truck tagged in Louisiana. Well, it is tied to Robin’s properties in New Orleans. When Mr. Brock questioned about the credit card, in executive session back in June, I apologized and said if they felt it was improper, I would personally go back to picking up the items needed.
They objected to the purchase of mulch and a pole saw.
I put, on the October 8 agenda, a request for the city to pay the 125.00 fee for both Robin and a city employee to attend the Mississippi Urban Forestry Conference where training on treatment for the Crepe Myrtle blight, municipal landscaping and proper tree and shrub pruning would being given.
Robin was to pay her own room and use her truck; the city would not have to pay transportation for the city employee which would have cost $118.00. I should have known that Alderman Elder would come against her rather than do what would be best for the City.
Robin was unaware of my request until the day of the board meeting.
Alderman Elder’s comments and the board’s was a slap in the face for all the service she has given to the city, not to mention the time and money just to attend another conference on behalf of the city.
She has already paid her own fees, transportation, gas and lodging for four conferences, on behalf of the city, in the last six months.
I knew there were problems against me when Alderman Brock questioned about Indianola Police Department escorting former Supervisor, civic leader, and Citizen of the Year, Carver Randall Sr.’s funeral, knowing that I was the one who approved the escort to go to Valley.
I was also surprised at the disrespect towards the many who spoke at Monday Night’s meeting, by Aldermen Brock and Elder, as they talked between one another and did not listen to the citizens who spoke.
Robin and I would like to thank the 45-plus citizens who attended Monday Night’s board meeting and to the many hundreds of phone calls, texts, emails, comments and Facebook posts from our wonderful citizens.
We both still have faith in the good nature of our citizens and will continue working for the benefit of all, even those who allow their personal political goals to get in the way of the City’s best interests.
Mayor Steve Rosenthal
