Veto looks like personal vendetta

To the editor:Jackson Mayor Paul Sander's recent veto has me and many others outraged. In my attendance at many Jackson Board of Aldermen and planning and zoning meetings, it has become obvious that Mayor Sander and a few of the aldermen have a vendetta against developer Ron Clark. They have taken this vendetta to the extreme by ignoring Jackson citizens' best interests and the welfare of our properties by forcing Clark to build an additional street in his subdivision that no one wants.

Prior to the recent vote, the board of aldermen held a public hearing on the abandonment. Sander asked to hear from anyone in favor. I spoke along with Howard Duer, Steve Sokolowski and Ron Clark. No one spoke against it. As the Southeast Missourian reported, our attempts to block this useless extension of Shawn Drive to the north of Francis Drive was approved by the board of alderman by a vote of 5-3 because it makes sense and would be in the best interests of the citizens in both the old and new subdivisions. Barbara Lohr, Joe Baker, Dale Rouh, Phil Penzel and Valeria Tuschhoff voted yes. David Reiminger, Larry Cunningham and Kerry Hoffman voted no. I can name at least four other subdivisions that are not interconnected. Even the police and fire departments wrote letters saying they would not use Shawn Drive if it were completed. The addition of that part of Shawn Drive would only add to the already bad water problems on Francis Drive.

The mayor should not use what appears to be a personal vendetta against Ron Clark and the Clark family to go against the majority of our citizens.

STEVE LEDBETTER, Jackson