Editor,

The July 7 article “City council nears end of Angel sculpture debate” reveals how tone-deaf — by choice — our Oak Harbor City Council has become.

Although public input has been overtly negative to receiving this “gift” that will cost taxpayers money year after year, whether that comment was through public comment at meetings, the recent Facebook survey or through the newspaper, or the trending comparison from ZenCity that the council paid $15,000 taxpayer dollars to receive, the council is voting for it anyway, with a location to be a part of the Aug. 4 meeting.

The council did not care about public input at all — unless it would have come back overtly positive. So rather than listen to the public, the powers of the “Fiefdom of Oak Harbor” are going against the will of the taxpayers.

Mayor pro-tem Beth Munns said about Oak Harbor Facebook commenters, “I’m not ever sure people really mean what they say in their comments.”

Maybe Oak Harbor Facebook residents should consider that Oak Harbor City Council members never mean what they say when running for office to “serve the public.”

It seems to me that perhaps city residents who vote might want to consider these things in the next election.

Let’s see if public comments on the CARES Act money as well as all other COVID relief money coming in to the city will be spent to help the people of Oak Harbor.

In a prior edition of the News-Times, a list was presented stating several ways of spending that money, including raising salaries and giving bonuses.

Raising salaries will have to be continued by the taxpayers after that relief money is gone so don’t do that.

Use that money to support the first responders of our community.

Fireman and police can use some equipment that will actually benefit the citizens and not go directly into the pockets of corrupt politicians.

Oh, did I say corrupt? Did I actually mean that?

I believe that civil servants elected to positions of authority who do not represent their constituents but instead do their own pleasure at the taxpayer expense or line their pockets with money meant for the community are, in fact, corrupt.

I believe it so much that I am going to post this letter on Facebook.

Clairann Haney

Oak Harbor