In addition to the Santa Scandal, there was another letter of note from Charles Hall of Smyrna in the January 11 SC Sun-Times. This is the entire letter and the editor's responses:
As a transplanted Ohioan, I came to Smyrna to enjoy my retirement years in the comfort of a smaller town, with better climate and a livable cost of living. I am amazed that I found out that the lovely town of Smyrna is actually an electric company, run by an executive board made of a group of individuals whose only purpose seems to act childish in front of the people they have sworn to serve and either raise the cost, or give away every dollar possible, even though the only way they are going to get the money is to raise the price that the citizens pay for electricity.
Not one of the town council, including the mayor, has shown that there is an interest in bringing business to the community on their part. At the January 3, 2006 town council meeting the Fire Department was handed $20,000 for the new sidewalk and about $800 in reduced permit fees, even though they are purchasing a $400,000 fire engine that is questionable for their needs. The town wants to look at a new library, and upgrade the structures downtown even though there are few lights on downtown for anyone to enjoy.
Perhaps what needs to happen is that we turn the library over to the county, stop giving away permit fees, tighten the budget, reduce the giveaways, find new business other than electric, trash, water and sewerage, and if this does not work get a new council.
I only hope that in the future the Sun-Times does a better job at covering the council meetings. Your paper of January 4, 2006 gave a disservice to the town.
