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Illinois Valley News welcomes letters to the editor.
Please e-mail them to laura@theivnews.com

POLICY ON LETTERS:
‘Illinois Valley News’ encourages letters to the editor provided they are legible and not libelous or scurrilous. All letters must be signed, including name, address and telephone number. The latter need not be published, but will be used to verify authenticity. The “News” reserves the right to edit letters. Letters are used at the discretion of the publisher.


(Editor’s Note: Views and commentary, including statements made as fact are strictly those of the letter writers)

Lies in the mail
A recent mailer from Art and Noah Robinson concerning the proposed charter is filled with misleading information.
The current charter is filled with irrelevant statements stating that the charter will protect your rights in the 2nd and 4th Amendments, (gun rights, and search and seizure.) Those rights are in the Constitution and nothing the charter says can add to your protections.
The federal and state statutes are the laws that our laws that our courts will go by if there is an issue.
Measure 17-116 was put on the ballot, not by outside groups, but was “referred to the People by an initiative petition.” This is democracy in action when enough citizens can refer an issue for a vote. (Note that Jackson County is also attempting to change their charter.)
The current charter, designating three commissioners, allows only two commissioners to outvote the third and run the county according to their own whims or self-interest. This seems to be the case currently. This may be why there is so much interest in the new charter proposal.
17-116 is not perfect, but it should be a step toward better government.
Gail Weller
Cave Junction

Let Common Sense
Prevail…Don’t be swayed with Untruths
On 5-2, like many others I received the very large “VOTE NO!” flyer in my mailbox . What a waste it is! I have read it and re-read it and thus far the only true statement I can find is the one that tells who paid for it. Due to space limits, I can only respond to just ONE of the many untruths/lies found in the “highlighted yellow” statements .
The proposed county manager would NOT have ultimate power!! This proposed administrative structure gives the County a clear/legal method of operation. It is similar to a school superintendent being accountable to the school board who is elected by the citizens in separate residential areas. In fact having such a trained professional in place prevents a quorum of just two people without county government administrative experience or training spending taxpayer money … please remember some of the poor actions taken by the current commissioners….such as, hiring an unqualified/friend to a high paying position with no advertisement or following fair hiring practices; selling The Flying Lark, a large/valuable piece of property, to a non-taxable nonprofit organization (is there more to this deal than we know?); giving a large sports park to a private owner; firing long-term employees with no due-process; etc. This claim that the new charter gives a county manager ultimate power is just ONE many, many examples of what the persons opposing measure 17-116 are bringing forth which is nothing but lies, fear and scare tactics. PLEASE vote for better government and VOTE YES FOR 17-116. This is our chance to change the structure of JO CO government in a positive and meaningful manner. We may never see it again.
Dick Cottrill
Grants Pass

Something smells! And it isn’t Roses or Lily of the Valley!
Herman Baertschiger Jr. says we are cash-strapped. Yet he spearheads giving the people’s money away! In a nutshell- Flying Lark 24.2 assessed value 14.9 Offer 9.5 Acceptance.
Is this the highest and best use of this property? Does this serve all the citizens of Josephine County? NO.
You won’t collect taxes as they will be exempt.
This is not fiscal responsibility. This is all about “Who gets What? And all behind closed doors!
You gave away the sportsman park and range valued at over a million. We are still faced with shortages- in Law enforcement and the Animal Shelter. Yet here we go again!
Our Commissioners act like they are at the gambling table at 7 Feathers. The citizens are losing at the game table!
Boersma should have waited- and not put his Flying Lark in the hands of idiots.
River Valley didn’t need another campus. Jesus didn’t have campuses worth tens of millions of dollars. Jesus had nothing to do with the transaction. It all happened under the rose, sub rosa.
When you vote for commissioner- No More Good Ol’ Boys like Herman Baertschiger, Barnett/ West. A vote for Chris Barnett is a vote for West. Or else the smell will continue.
Raleigh Smith
Grants Pass