Dear Editor,

I am emailing you about Amaka Flynn candidate for Garner Town Council.

I know that Amaka will be the best person for the council because she is so passionate about what she does. Amaka has a keen perspective on what people need and how to reach her objectives. Amaka will work tireless for the Town of Garner and for the Citizens that reside in the Town.

Amaka is a visionary and will bring new and creative ideals to a dormant Town Council.

She will take her position as councilwoman and run with it to create new and exciting things for the Town. Amaka has my vote and I know once people hear her they will vote for Amaka as well. Respectfully, Darrell Flynn Garner, NC Dear Editor,

It’s only $144,000 more; there is no reason for the citizens of Garner to care.

I am shocked by the arrogance or the ignorance of the members of the Town Council. At the Town Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2009, everything appeared to be moving along quite smoothly. Mayor Ronnie Williams even quipped that we would be done in record time.

Mr. Watkins, the Town Manager, announced that there was an issue that had come-up and needed the Council’s attention. The Department of Transportation’s (DOT) work on Timber Drive had hit a minor hold-up that needed to be cleared up by the Council. The DOT was at a portion of Timber Drive that needed four driveway cut-ins. The cut-ins were for a piece of private property, not town property, which would access a vacant lot. The cost of making these driveway cut-ins at this time would be $144,000.

The cost of this work is the responsibility of the land owner, who stated that he did not have the money to pay for the driveways at this time and said that he would pay the town back in 10 years or if he was able to build on and utilize the property he would pay it back sooner. So that we all understand, the property is not built on, it has no current use, and no need of the driveway cut-ins.

The Council Members asked great questions of the Town Manager.

Would not putting in the driveway cut-ins slow-down or stop the Timber Dr. work? No.

Can the driveway cut-ins be done at a later time at the property owner’s expense? Yes.

Are we charging interest for the $144,000 if we approve this loan? No.

Whose responsibility is the cost of putting in the driveway cut-ins? The property owner’s. A motion was made to approve the expenditure of $144,000 to allow DOT to do the driveway cut-ins with the Citizens of Garner paying the bill on a NO INTEREST LOAN at no obvious benefit or feature to the town.

The motion was seconded and voted on.

The motion was carried 5 to 0 in favor of spending $144,000 of Citizen’s money to not put in a curb on a vacant lot. I wonder who will pull on to that vacant lot once this is done and for what purpose.

Is there any question that the citizens of Garner are in need of a voice of reason on the Town Council? Is there any doubt that “Common Sense” is only to be found hidden and cowering in a corner somewhere abandoned by all who should be using it daily? Is there any reason that we all should not be voting for a change in the upcoming election? Arnie Osborn Town Council Candidate Garner, NC