Re: Employer's Responsibility?
Quoting House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-NY: "Common sense dictates that members of Congress should *NOT* (my emphasis)
be held responsible for what could be the wrong doing or mistakes or errors
of staff..."
I always thought a boss, supervisor or employer was responsible for actions
of his staff. The term is called vicarious liability. But maybe Rep.
Rangel's staff operates independently of his control and if that is true,
how can we trust Rep. Rangel, as Chairman, to be in control of House Ways
and Means Committee?
Larry M.
Hotchkiss, Colo.
Dear Editor:
I have been reminiscing about the state of affairs in Delta, especially since we are in the process of deciding who the new city manager will be. In about 40 years, we have had 13 city managers and at least five acting or interim city managers, which is an appalling number. We all have hopes that some kind of sensible continuity will come from whoever is announced soon.
I have been thinking about what is positive about Delta and what ongoing problems Delta still faces. One of the best things that ever happened was the Bill Heddles Recreation Center, which we the citizens got to vote on. One of the most disastrous things that ever happened was the addition of the Devil's Thumb Golf Course. Bottom line, we could not afford it. We citizens had no vote and felt it was shoved down our throats. It's not a question of whether we were for or against the game of golf. It was more whether Delta could afford this pie-in-the-sky golf course. Here again, our municipal light and power have been running in the black, but ever since the golf course, several kinds of city funds have been siphoned off to support the golf course, which is open basically only four months a year.
On the other hand, persons of all ages and abilities can take advantage of the rec center. It is affordable, where only a few can afford the golf course. We feel that when we have guests come, we can go to the rec center, but almost none of us have friends who can afford golf.
How many surrounding cities are envious of the rec center? I certainly don't hear Grand Junction or Montrose threatened by Devil's Thumb.
Citizens, as I have reminded you all time and again, don't be afraid to speak up!
Jean Lemon
Delta, Colo.
