Dear Editor:
This letter is written in reference to your recent article and editorial regarding an incident that occurred in the City of Indianola Board meeting on March 25, 2019.
Your reporting and opinion of this incident called into question my “motives” in raising questions to the Director of the Indianola Animal Shelter, as well as my statements to Mayor Steve Rosenthal in responding to his attempts to prevent me from asking these questions.
As I noted in a letter to the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, City officials have a duty of oversight of the operations of all city departments.
The past practices of the Board have allowed Board members to raise questions during Board meetings to any department head regarding its operations WHETHER OR NOT THAT MATTER WAS ON THE MEETING AGENDA.
My action in questioning the Animal Shelter Director, Ms. Elmore, on March 25, after other department reports, was no different, and certainly not inconsistent with past Board practices.
Your article and editorial characterized my statements to Mayor Rosenthal as threats and appeared to “assume” that I was referring to an incident some eight years ago.
Please note that since I became a member of the Board of Aldermen, there have been other incidents of disagreements with the actions and conduct of the Mayor and certain Board members which did not involve threats but were reported to State agencies for investigations.
So, I believe it to be unprofessional and biased to make such assumptions in your reporting and editorial regarding my actions in this incident, especially since you failed to report and characterize Mayor Rosenthal’s conduct as threatening and unprofessional.
In his attempts to prevent me from asking questions of Ms. Elmore, the Mayor stood up and rapped his gavel forcefully on the table several times while calling my name in loud threatening tones. Additionally, he implied that I did not have any sense in posing questions to Ms. Elmore and was essentially playing games, and he ordered her not to answer questions.
I consider this conduct by the Mayor to be threatening, disrespectful and unprofessional.
I hope that in future reporting and editorials, you and your staff will report only the “facts” and not make assumptions about motives related to prior incidents, and that your stories will be fair and balanced as to all parties concerned.
Marvin Elder
