What you don't see about Garland

1:17 PM Mon, Mar 09, 2009
Letter to the Editor
 
Re: "Office budget busted -- Neumann overspends by $8,000, annoying more frugal members" and "Inquiry to focus on officials' trips -- Full-scale internal probe promised of pricey N.Y. travels," Feb. 28 Metro.
 
What you don't read about Garland are stories like the one in Saturday's Metro section regarding Mesquite council members taking lavish trips at taxpayer expense.
 
What you don't read about Garland are stories like the one in Saturday's Metro section regarding a council member in Dallas far exceeding his $16,400 office budget.
 
The eight Garland City Council representatives don't have an office budget or an office. What you don't read about Garland are articles frequently appearing in the Metro section where a local municipality has "suddenly" discovered a huge budget shortfall -- and now drastic cuts will be necessary.
 
Garland's managing director of budget and research does not let surprises happen. What you don't read about Garland are stories of internal bickering and petty jealousy. What you don't read about Garland are stories of credit card abuse a la DISD. In sum, Garland citizens have a right to be proud of their city and how it is run.
 

Rick Williams, Garland City Council member

 

 
I'd hoped to comment similarly on those stories recently in the Dallas Morning News. My purpose would have been to say, "Not here!" However, Councilman Rick Williams, Dist 7, has said it for me.
 
Obviously, when we have such tight budgets and we have city employees constantly having to do more with less, things aren't always rosy and other problems do arise. So that we wouldn't have those sorts of problems is much of the reason I chose to run for Council. Credit certainly goes to the Council for not being ... how do you say ... stupid! But much of the credit goes to City Manager Bill Dollar and a staff of city employees managing and acting professionally. While I do regularly challenge them (that's my job, right?), I am very pleased with our city staff members and the job that they do on behalf of the city.
 
We had a tight budget last year and we'll have an even tighter one this year. Anticipating and preparing for those eventualities is something that Garland has done well. It will be tough on all parties: city employees and residents. However, you won't pick up the paper and learn we "forgot" to account for several million dollars or that we are riding around it limosines.