Letter to the editor: Speak out about parole
When I learned of our hometown girl Robin Bell’s murder in Bonner Springs last year, my heart was broken. Still, they haven’t found who is responsible. Even when the person is found, your life is scarred forever. I know exactly what the family is going through.
Soon, you’ll be reading a notice in our paper of the possible release of William McCall. He murdered my sister, Ruby Peer, on Aug. 1, 1991, in Bonner Springs.
He received a sentence of 15 years to life, after confessing to the crime.
I ask that you send a short note to the parole board on our behalf. Letters may be sent to the parole board, Landon State Office Building, 900 S.W. Jackson St., Room 452-S, Topeka, 66612-1220.
Or you can see me or her daughter, Phyllis Shilling, to sign our letter against his release. Not even William McCall deserves a beating and three shots to the face, which happened to my sister. He does deserve to be in prison and not be let out to hurt anyone else.
Sue Nible,
Tonganoxie.
Letter to the editor: Bad message to local citizens
Taxpayers sit down and shut up! This is what city council members Jason Ward, Steve Gumm and Velda Roberts are telling us.
There was a valid petition, with 354 signatures of taxpayers that want the county road 1 issue to go to a vote. But those three council members voted to send it to court. What is the cost to the taxpayers to take this to court? These three council members want to spend our tax money to take the taxpayers to court!
Ron Cranor and David Taylor agree with the taxpayers to put it to a vote. Theirs is a common-sense view.
If it went to a vote and the taxpayers voted for our money to go to the county road 1 project, then that is what they wanted. But those three council members apparently don’t feel that we the voters are responsible enough to make a decision of this magnitude.
Jason Ward said he believes the city’s legal challenge to the petition is to protect the city from being ruled by a petition. That’s ridiculous. When have the voters ever tried to stop the city from doing anything here in the city? If the city was spending the money in the city, I doubt the people would say anything.
I wonder what council members Jason Ward, Steve Gumm and Velda Roberts would think about being removed from their seats, by a petition? I’m ready for that. They want to take our Constitutional rights from us.
The voters of Tonganoxie need to remember this when April elections come around, and in two years when Jason Ward and Steve Gumm come back up for elections, if we don’t take them out of their seats before that time. The people of Tonganoxie need to get more involved in what your city council is doing. And remember that Ron Cranor and David Taylor are for the people.
Paula Crook,
Tonganoxie.
Letter to the editor: Petition-signers should not worry
About 360 residents of Tonganoxie may have or will receive an official notice of a court action concerning the petition they signed recently. I don’t want them to be concerned. This is just a formality required by the courts to say that they are aware of the city’s action concerning the petition.
Petition-signers may not have been aware that the city does not think it would be legal to bring this question to a vote and that is why the city instructed Michael Kelly, city attorney, to have this question brought before a judge. By law, Mr. Kelly had to notify everyone who had an interest in this action. Petition-signers are not being sued. They will not have to hire an attorney. An attorney will be representing all the voters who signed this petition.
Petition-signers do not have to go to court, unless they would like to. They will be notified when the judge makes his ruling on whether we can bring this issue to a ballot. According to the legal notice, petition-signers have 20 days to respond, but this just means that the legality of this question will be going before a Leavenworth county judge after this amount of time. There are no legal actions being taken against petition-signers personally — just a legal action against the petition and what we asked council members to do.
We have been told that city voters are not allowed to vote when an administrative action is being taken by the city. That is what this all boils down to. We asked people to sign a petition for the right to vote, and enough voters said they would like the chance to vote. The city does not think it is legal to let us vote, so it has asked a judge to decide.
I don’t want anyone to be afraid to sign a petition in the future. It is our right as citizens to carry a petition. It is our right to sign any petition that will bring an issue to a public vote. It is our right to ask for our opinion to be heard on any and all subjects. Don’t let this lawsuit prevent you from exercising your rights.
Phyllis Shilling,
Tonganoxie.