Ray Schmitz in his July 20 letter to the editor regarding Rochester's council-at-large position, said, "We need a policy face for the city who sets goals, proposes policy and measures outcomes. ... Today there is no accountability among the council members, because there are no standards by which they can be judged.."
Rochester Mayor Ardell Brede, in suspending the council dinner meetings, stated "Council dinner meetings have been a tradition for many decades," and Bob Nowicki in his Oct. 19 letter to the editor endorsing Randy Staver wrote, "As our city faces numerous growth opportunities and challenges we don't need leaders with their own agendas but someone who has proven himself as a thoughtful, analytical, consensus-building leader, someone with you and I in mind."
With a weak mayor system in place by the Home Rule Charter, Rochester can no longer move forward with traditions and leaders that rely on concensus-building.
A true leader will replace traditions and committee concensus-building with a personal visions for the community, a vision that will be accountable to that same community. Without a true leader we will continue to be a community lead by committee using the vision of others.
You have the choice on Nov. 8.
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Michael Pagelkopf
Rochester
