Letter: City Council tried to do right thing

To the Editor:

My wife and I moved here in 2004, excited about retiring in a wonderful community. All that changed from a knock on our door in May of 2011 when two brave citizens from Hay Creek were polling our neighborhood to see if we were aware of the impending frac sand mining wanting to establish itself in Goodhue County.

After flying many trips over western Wisconsin, we became aware of the rapid explosion of sand mines there and the utter devastation to the environs and its people. Since then, after countless county and township meetings and joining Save the Bluffs, here we are.

Fast forward to Monday night’s Red Wing City Council meeting.

Conflict of interest is so minimized by law it’s pathetic. Elected officials — in this case, the mayor — sees themselves immune. As proven that night, after much hard work on the part of the City Council, the best they could legally manage was to request an investigation of Mayor Dennis Egan’s motivations to become a frac sand lobbyist.

I profusely thank them for their efforts, especially President Lisa Bayley. You definitely tried to do the right thing.

Thank you, Mayor Egan, for the “in your face” arrogance of an elected official. You’ve obviously let down your colleagues, citizens that elected you, and more importantly, a blatant violation of a standard code of ethics. Obviously you have a jaded view of what’s right and wrong.

Aside from the law, the bewilderment lies in your motivations. Obviously, being a lobbyist pays more than the salary of a mayor. Is it all about money?

Remember that the responsibility lies with the citizens and their vote.

Jim McIlrath

Frontenac

Tags: opinion, letters