Portillo Speaks About Nelson Departures

Opinion

Letter to the editor submitted by Edith Portillo.I was made aware of the Resignations of Mr. Duane Cronic and of Mr. Jonathan Bishop. When those people were sworn in and had their first meeting with the new Council Members and the New Mayor this past January. and on the very first day they put forth to Fire the presiding Nelson Lawyer who has been doing a stellar job for many years and demote our current City Manager to City Clerk it would take anyone’s breath away. The fact that these people conspired against the city attorney and manager without notifying Mr Cronic or Mr Bishop shows that they did not want their input as stated by the mayor in the paper. Fortunately with Mrs. Martha Tiptons vote it did not pass, and Mrs. Edwards and Mr. Rusbridge were allowed to continue with they [sic] duties. Knowing these people’s agenda it will come up again. Who were they going to put in as City Manger? [sic]. Mrs Edwards has been doing her job for 11 years as the so-called clerk, but it has really been as City Manager and she has been doing her job very well.

She now faces a huge challenge to know that this Council would like her out and every day she confronts a hostile working environment that borders on harrassment [sic] by elected officials that have no experience as to what her job intells [sic].

Now I read that Mr. Ray’s comments to the resignations were

“I thought we were treating them courteously, their input was appreciated”

REALLY? Who does he think he is? They were an intrical [sic] part of the previous Council and now he states their input would be nice but not important to make decisions??? Come on now; you can see why they wanted out. These two were the smartest Council Members to grace Nelson in the past decade (and I was not chop [sic] liver either). How can anyone think these two Council Members were going to try to put forth well thought-out policies only to have them shot down by an illiterate [sic], un-educated council 3-2?

Mrs. Tipton had the entire City in her hands. She was on the Council prior of everyone currently on the council. She had an opportunity to be the deciding vote once I lost the election last November. Mr. Jarrett and Thad wanted to go in one direction against Mr. Cronic and Mr. Bishop. Mrs. Tipton was the deciding vote. She controlled the entire city, and what did she end up doing in the end???

She told Mr. Cronic she was in favor of a contract for Brandy Edwards to stop Mr Jarrett and Thad’s attempt to fire her. She also told him that she was in favor of parking the Trash Truck on City Property. A week later, Mrs. Tipton voted against ALL these things without letting Mr. Cronic know she had suddenly changed her mind. She allowed Mr Cronic to look like a fool in front of everyone when she could have stopped it by letting him know. And people are wondering WHY Mr. Cronic left??? I cant [sic] imagine being lied to like that and what Mr. Cronic must be feeling at this time.

The Gaul [sic] and audacity of people who know nothing about City Business. Being in office has many challenges as I have learned. However, I never presumed and neither did others to know everything. This way of thinking is new to the City of Nelson and the remaining members of the council….in two words… “POWER HUNGRY“.

I am saddened in the resignations since Mr. Cronic was the one that got the City on the correct path financially. This will be a great loss to some of the Citizens of Nelson. I know Mr. Cronic well enough to know he would NEVER express the true reasons why he resigned. But after the comments of Mr. Ray I couldn’t be quiet. His idea of Mr. Cronic and Mr. Bishop shows the arrogance of these people.

“They wanted input… but not leadership”

from these two… puppets in other words. Puppets to blame when they wanted, and puppets to praise when needed. One day soon, these “Old Nelsoners” will be gone… what will Nelson look like then? Will they build statues to Mr. Jarrett or Mr Ray? Or will they say “these people help destroy the city”?


Mrs. Edith Portillo
Private Citizen

Back to Top