Viewpoints
Mayor Williams Owes an Apology
By Gregory Vickrey
October 18, 2007
Thursday PM
During the Ketchikan Borough Assembly meeting this week, Mayor
Joe Williams openly, angrily, and loudly attacked a member of
the public speaking during the open portion of the meeting known
as public comment. As Mary Lynn Dahl spoke her thoughts, Mayor
Williams interrupted her and lambasted her perspective with a
level of disrespect that should be unacceptable at the table.
Mayor Williams owes the public at large and Mary Lynn Dahl a
public apology. He must take responsibility for his display of
disrespectful and embarrassing behavior. As Glen Thompson pointed
out during the meeting, Mayor Williams has admonished others
at the table for being disrespectful towards members of the public,
yet the Mayor seems convinced that in his role as community 'leader'
he can say and do as he pleases. I disagree and hope you do as
well.
This sort of behavior seems to be a trend with Mayor Williams.
In the past he has ridiculed other members of the public, and
has been quoted as being "violently opposed" to things.
Violent? What does violence, ridicule, and irresponsibility have
to do with leadership?
Should the Mayor choose not to apologize publicly, perhaps he
should take the other high road and resign. When Mayor Williams
ran for office, he ran under the motto, "He is all about
leadership". I believed that he meant it at the time and
supported his candidacy, yet have seen little consistent evidence
of that leadership over the two years since. Given his latest
embarrassing attack on a member of the public, I have little
faith we will see consistent leadership during the rest of his
tenure. During the actual outburst he justified his poor behavior
because he said he was representing the 35 people working at
the veneer plant. When I voted for him, I assumed I was supporting
a 'leader' that would strive to represent the entire population
of Ketchikan, not 35 members of it. Clearly, I was wrong.
Please encourage the Mayor to apologize for his poor behavior
and ask him to work to end the culture of adversity that exists
between the Assembly and the community. That is what 'leaders'
do - they accept responsibility.
Gregory Vickrey
Ketchikan, AK
About: "Gregory Vickrey
voted for Mayor Williams when he was elected."
Received October 18, 2007 -
Published October 18, 2007
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