To the editor:

Congratulations Cape Coral City Council!

On March 17, you approved Resolution 7-08, granting yourself the authority to determine what positions will be filled, and at what cost, regarding all city positions. It allows you to decide on the positions, not the applicants.

I’m sorry to see that the hiring restrictions are only good until the current fiscal year, or Sept. 30. Perhaps you can re-visit this resolution in early September and make it permanent. I hope so! After all, aren’t you in charge of making important, life-changing decisions every day? You are the most powerful people in this city, and the residents are holding you responsible for each and every decision. You have a thankless job, where you receive all the glory, yet must endure all the flak.

Thank you, Councilman Tim Day for sponsoring this resolution, and thank you Mayor Feichthaler, Mr. Burch, Mr. Brandt, Mr. Deile and Mr. Grill for passing it. The “buck has to stop” somewhere; there’s no better place than at the top! Are you, the city council tightening the reins on the city manager? What do you perceive? Should his reins be tightened?

Talking about tightening, aren’t we all supposed to tighten our belts in these economic times? Including city government? Why did the city hire a “deputy financial administrator?” (Fancy title for ‘assistant’ financial administrator.“) Who hired this person? Think about it! When was this person hired? What is his/her salary? Who’s paying the wages?

Rumors were floating about the time when the new council members were taking office, that a “deputy financial administrator” had been hired, or would be hired. I tried unsuccessfully twice, asking at city council meetings, whether this was only a rumor. My persistence finally paid off! I asked the question again at the last city council meeting, March 17. Councilman Grill answered, stating that yes, a “deputy financial manager” has been hired. (No mention of name, salary, etc.). I’m trying to find his/her name in the quarterly publication of “Cape Coral on the Move,” however to no avail. Is the hiring a lesson of belt-tightening? Leaner government?

Drastic actions need to be implemented! You can’t always have what you want!

Erick Kuehn

Cape Coral