I was not impressed with former Clarkston City Council member Michael Sabol’s efforts to bully Cory Johnston off city committees last Monday night, and most of City Council’s apparent agreement with him.
Cory’s “I hate Clarkston” was about his oft-delayed requests for information at the time from the city manager and other officials, and other government actions.
He should be placed on committees exactly because he makes those requests. They mean he gives a rip about this place.
Sabol was equating the government with the place it runs (“conflate” would be the current buzz word which I hate but it actually might fit in this case).
To love Clarkston doesn’t mean you have to love city council, mayor, and city manager, and the things they do.
And to hate what those people do, doesn’t mean you have hate in your heart for the town and its residents.
Cory doesn’t owe fealty, loyalty, and love to any government official or even to Clarkston’s cityhood, which he has favored dissolving a few years ago. He had a decent reason at the time – the city police department had just been dissolved by a vote of the residents.
And what kind of organization turns down volunteers?
It shouldn’t have to be said but unfortunately needs to be, listen to everyone and respect other points of view.
Even unreasonable ones, because to exclude those means someone gets to decide what “unreasonable” means, leading back to the problem at hand.
Sabol didn’t compare Johnston to Hitler, at least, for which I am grateful.
I’m much more impressed with Shiver by the River last Saturday, which was organized by resident volunteers and city officials.
I was worried, driving into town through the warm fog, until I saw the crowd of families having fun at the ice rink and activities in Depot Park.
An ice rink doesn’t have any business existing when it’s reaching 50 degrees outside. The Depot Park rink hung on due to the determination of the Clarkston Area Optimists, especially Tom Middleton.