LETTER TO THE EDITOR: How much has city shelled out in Long case?

By C. Robert, Odessa

So let me preface by saying I have never written a “Letter To The Editor.”

But I am having a hard time fathoming the depth of depravity that has befallen our Odessa City Council.

Here in lies some questions that beg to be answered and are not too much to expect to be answered. So, in today’s climate where women in America are finding a voice and deserved vindication for the deplorable way that they have been treated and objectified by perverted men of despicable character for decades, we find that a nice lady who happens to work for our City in our city attorney’s office says #MeToo and tells her story and her predator boss is rewarded for his actions?

After a thorough investigation by the human resources department their report, which clearly finds the city attorney guilty as charged, for the second time in his illustrious career no less, but two highly esteemed (at least in their own minds?) city council members totally ignore the facts, the report, and the recommendations made by the human resources department.

There simply is not one thing that they can say to justify their actions! And instead of any type of discipline, the city council votes to include Mr. (Larry) Long in the annual cost of living raise of 3 percent, really he gets a raise? Also, he gets to resign, but stay on until he hits another birthday, so he can increase his retirement account and subsequent draws. Seriously?

Let’s allow him to get paid more and stay long enough to bilk the taxpayers who expected him to conduct city business on our behalf by acting with dignity, which he clearly did not.

Does anyone else out there besides me think that if it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, it is most likely a duck?

Or how about where there is smoke there is fire? Or perhaps this one, a leopard never changes its spots? These are all clichés but the evidence is pretty overwhelming, given that the city’s next move was to settle with the nice lady and pay her a yet unknown sum of money, being hidden from we the people who contribute to the taxes and deserve to know this cost?

Again, is it just me, or would they have paid out a settlement and try everything in their power to keep it from us if he was innocent? How stupid do they think we are? I am guessing we will find out in the next election cycle for these individuals. To condone their actions is consummate to condoning sexual harassment in the workplace, in fact rewarding the predator as we have seen in this case.

Maybe the 4,000 plus petition signers demanding a change to the makeup of the council is a start to a revolution? But in his final act against the citizens of Odessa Mr. Long brings his allies and protectors an obscure section of code that allowed them to deny the people the election they demanded until at least November even though they have held several past elections approved on only one vote. But Long gave them a way out to delay this one.

But, hey, he is after all being paid at a higher rate and escaping the deserved punishment for his actions, and retiring with a much better retirement than he would have received had he been terminated for cause like any other predator working for any other company in America. One more cliché and I will quit (I promise). I guess I just can’t see the forest for the trees?