More on concern ex-Mayors have with city

Just as Edmond residents were licking their wounds over the developer pulling a proposed and donated Uncommon Ground sculpture park, four former Edmond mayors dropped a bomb shell on the city council and our current mayor. The third sentence in the first paragraph sums up the tone of the letter. “As former mayors, we have deep concern about recent decisions and attitudes of the city Manager and his top staff”.

Wow, that is not good folks. As stated in the letter, these former mayors have all been in the same shoes as the city council. They walked the walk and talked the talk. They have also navigated through difficult decisions and challenges. It would seem that the death of the proposed sculpture park has caused more challenges within our city processes to surface.

“Is this letter only about the loss of Uncommon Ground, a destination park that would have showcased Edmond’s support for the arts and families’ enjoyment? No” the letter states. We have received complaints from developers and residents as well on specific issues that have come up with city staff and processes that can seem unfair on the surface.

To be fair, through this newspaper’s 23-year history, we have received such complaints from time to time. Upon investigation, it is usually a case of there being two sides to every story. A great example centers around road construction. Why did the city start two road projects so close together is often asked. Many times, it was that Federal funds were available and if construction was delayed on one project those funds would be lost. It is a complicated process but can have Federal funds pay for up to 80% of the road’s construction. Being cheap, I would prefer the inconvenience over losing the funds.

To be honest, this time has a different feel and look to it. In some areas the processes seem to be moving too fast and in other areas they are moving too slowly. Does that mean the city manager and his staff are picking and choosing the projects they prefer? I would not judge it that way, but it is time for a wake up call on how the processes are handled and what the processes will look like in the future.

The common denominator in all this is the lack of communication. It is similar to what The Captain says to Paul Newman in the 1967 movie Cool Hand Luke right after he knocks Newman to the ground, “What we got here is failure to communicate”. If our mayor and city council’s expectations are not being met by the city manager and his staff, they need to communicate that in no uncertain terms and set a new path for what needs to be done in the future. If they are pleased with the way processes are being handled, they need to speak up in support of the city manager. Silence is not golden in this case.

The Edmond Chamber of Commerce also released a letter offering help with Uncommon Ground. They are willing to arbitrate and improve the communication process between all parties. I am afraid that ship has sailed but I know the good folks at the chamber would be willing to extend their offer of improving communication to other processes that go on between developers and city staff. The council and city management should lean on the chamber folks. They are all experienced in how to get things done and the leadership of Sherry Jordon as president of the cham- ber is unmatched.

It is a bit of a pickle that city staff, council and residents of Edmond find themselves in. Probably a shake up that is overdue. For many years the council and mayor regularly challenged city staff on the way business was conducted, especially regarding developers. I served on a committee former city manager Larry Stevens convened with the chamber’s help to find ways to streamline the process. It worked but I am thinking it has been disbanded.

Running a city is a complicated process with so many tentacles most of us cannot get a grasp on understanding them all. However, communication is the fix my friends and Edmond needs to get back to good communication one way or the other, now.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY

I know most folks think they have the best dad, but the truth is I had the best dad, for me anyway. He was and still is bigger than life. This will be the 16th Father’s Day I have celebrated without him. People will tell you it gets easier as time goes buy but it does not. There is not a day that goes by where dad does not enter my mind, or I share one of his stories or say something he would have said. The good news is that dad left a lot of material behind including a number of jokes and sayings. Some of them I can even repeat in public. He was not a politically correct guy, but he loved people and his family most of all.

He was a hard-nosed U.S. Marine through and through. After serving his tour he decided to join the reserves. “It paid $60 a month which covered your mother’s and my rent, and I got to get together with some of my buddies once a month” he told me. It came as a complete surprise when he was called up and put on a ship. “That is when I learned to read the newspapers” he added. Not knowing where he was going, he ended up in the Incheon invasion kicking off the Korean War.

Although he was wounded shortly after getting off the beach and carried metal from a Chinese hand grenade in his legs his whole life, he considered himself lucky. Dad was evacuated before the Chinese crossed the border. The marines were cutting through the north Korean lines like a hot knife through butter until the Chinese regulars crossed the border and joined the fight. Dad was out by then and it left the brave soldiers trapped behind enemy lines where they had to fight their way out. It is where the phrase, “fighting in a different direction” was born.

Dad never let that experience define him. I never saw him lead with his combat experience. He did his duty, served, was wounded and then moved on to be the best dad he could be. As one of his three children I would say he was a big success and even a bigger hit as a grandfather.

A couple of years ago I wrote that we fathers do not need a whole day. Father’s Hour or two would be good. Being a dad is the greatest thing I have ever been. Loved it and it gets better with time. We dads just want to do what we do which is be ready when needed. We mostly hang out in the garage or backyard waiting for the call, “DAD”. We then jump into action until the situation is resolved and then we fade back to our space ready for the next challenge.

Of course, we worry about our kids and go to extreme measures to make sure they are safe. The mothers are the real star of the show and do not get all the credit they deserve. As many of you know the great thing about having kids is becoming a Grandpa!

(Ray Hibbard may be reached at ray@edmoindpaper.com) dok.com/public-art.php. visit

“Four Seasons” in real life is located in front of the Center for Transformative Learning on the University of Central Oklahoma campus, but this week is hidden somewhere in our paper.

Please e-mail contest@edmondpaper.com with the correct location to be entered in the weekly drawing.

Commissioned as a partnership between UCO, the City of Edmond and the Edmond Visual Arts Commission, “Four Seasons” was created by sculptor Kevin Box of New Mexico and was dedicated on the campus on March 24, 2011.

Kevin is a member of the National Sculptor’s Guild. His Box Studio LLC is a strong supporter of the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle concept, using recycled metal as part of the casting process for his sculptures. All of his work is 100 percent recyclable.