Letters to the Editor...
RE: Letter to the Editor by William Miller of Grove, printed in The Grove Sun Daily, Tuesday, February 14, 2006, edition.
Since Mr. Miller chose to use my name in his Letter to the Editor, I feel it necessary to respond to his incorrect statements, misinformation, and lack of understanding. I assume that The Grove Sun Daily will print my reply. In the past, they have refused to print my letters to the editor. They only print letters which are favorable to the present City government and perhaps only after the letters have been reviewed by same.
Therefore, I also am submitting this response to the Waterbug network and to The Grove Observer blog both of which avoid prior restraint on news coverage.
CORRECTIONS:
1) District Attorney Eddie Wyant never dismissed any charges against members of the Grove City government because of lack of evidence or for any other reason.
2) District Attorney Eddie Wyant wrote a letter, dated September 28, 2005, to members of the Grove City government, listing numerous violations of the Open Meetings Act and the Open Records Act. A direct quote from the letter is as follows:"Despite numerous attempts by this office, spanning well more than one year, to get Grove City officials to comply with the Open Meetings Act and Open Records Act, yet another blatant violation has been brought to my attention. I cannot possibly overstate my frustration with this situation. To further exacerbate the situation, two of the GIDA members are also City Council members, Member Carolyn Nuckolls and Member David Helms."
Later in the same letter, Mr. Wyant states:"Further, it is evident that as to many of these violations, the Board was simply allowed to violate or even encouraged to violate the law by the City Attorney and/or City Manager, who the Board relied upon to help guide them to be in compliance with the law."
Later, Mr. Wyant states:"I have decided not to file any charges on these issues at this time. However, I do want to make it clear that I am tired of begging Grove City officials to follow the law."I would be pleased to provide a copy of the complete letter issued by Mr. Wyant, which had a carbon copy to Mark Wall, Grove P.D. I am providing a copy of Mr. Wyant's letter to The Grove Sun Daily, if it wishes to print the same with my Letter to the Editor.
3) It is my understanding that District Attorney Eddie Wyant is excluded from participation as an advisor to the proposed Grand Jury because he possibly will be called as a witness and cannot serve in both positions.
4) The issue is not the City Manager, nor is it the Council members. The issue is, EVERYONE MUST FOLLOW THE LAW, whether they agree with it or not. The law is the controlling factor, and the legal system will produce a final decision on all matters under discussion.I am not aware of any "conspiracy"; perhaps Mr. Miller can enlighten me. Citizens of Grove and Delaware County and the United States of America are entitled to have their own agenda or even be misguided. But they are NOT permitted to break the law.Open Meetings and Open Records requirements permit the public to be informed prior to decision by government, and permit review of those decisions after they have been made. Misleading agenda items and inadequate minutes, or agenda items which conceal rather than explain, prevent the public from participating in governmental decisions and prevent the sun from shining on government. Openness and full disclosure are essential requirements of a free society.
5) The reference by Mr. Miller to "double jeopardy" perhaps needs to be revisited by Mr. Miller and this time with a dictionary. To oppose any existing government with your own opinion is not harassment, it is free speech. A Grand Jury exists for the purpose of reviewing the conduct of elected officials who are in control of the government.Whether or not Mr. Miller opposes it or Jack L. Forrest supports it, a Grand Jury will be convened, with far more than the required number of signatures, and the twelve men and women on that Jury will hear evidence presented, and with the required concurrence of nine or more of those members, indictments will be issued or the decision will be made not to issue indictments; therefore, the law will be followed, as it should be, and as it ultimately is.
Jack L. Forrest
Grove, Oklahoma
918-786-7071
Editors Note: All true, but the DA chose NOT to prosecute any of the items except for the bid splitting charges, which come to trial March 13 with a six person jury. The fact that he chose NOT to prosecute could be why the petition originators excluded the DA or any of his staff from participating in the Grand Jury process. If he didn't before, why would he now? Wonder who they will get to come to Jay for this event?
Since Mr. Miller chose to use my name in his Letter to the Editor, I feel it necessary to respond to his incorrect statements, misinformation, and lack of understanding. I assume that The Grove Sun Daily will print my reply. In the past, they have refused to print my letters to the editor. They only print letters which are favorable to the present City government and perhaps only after the letters have been reviewed by same.
Therefore, I also am submitting this response to the Waterbug network and to The Grove Observer blog both of which avoid prior restraint on news coverage.
CORRECTIONS:
1) District Attorney Eddie Wyant never dismissed any charges against members of the Grove City government because of lack of evidence or for any other reason.
2) District Attorney Eddie Wyant wrote a letter, dated September 28, 2005, to members of the Grove City government, listing numerous violations of the Open Meetings Act and the Open Records Act. A direct quote from the letter is as follows:"Despite numerous attempts by this office, spanning well more than one year, to get Grove City officials to comply with the Open Meetings Act and Open Records Act, yet another blatant violation has been brought to my attention. I cannot possibly overstate my frustration with this situation. To further exacerbate the situation, two of the GIDA members are also City Council members, Member Carolyn Nuckolls and Member David Helms."
Later in the same letter, Mr. Wyant states:"Further, it is evident that as to many of these violations, the Board was simply allowed to violate or even encouraged to violate the law by the City Attorney and/or City Manager, who the Board relied upon to help guide them to be in compliance with the law."
Later, Mr. Wyant states:"I have decided not to file any charges on these issues at this time. However, I do want to make it clear that I am tired of begging Grove City officials to follow the law."I would be pleased to provide a copy of the complete letter issued by Mr. Wyant, which had a carbon copy to Mark Wall, Grove P.D. I am providing a copy of Mr. Wyant's letter to The Grove Sun Daily, if it wishes to print the same with my Letter to the Editor.
3) It is my understanding that District Attorney Eddie Wyant is excluded from participation as an advisor to the proposed Grand Jury because he possibly will be called as a witness and cannot serve in both positions.
4) The issue is not the City Manager, nor is it the Council members. The issue is, EVERYONE MUST FOLLOW THE LAW, whether they agree with it or not. The law is the controlling factor, and the legal system will produce a final decision on all matters under discussion.I am not aware of any "conspiracy"; perhaps Mr. Miller can enlighten me. Citizens of Grove and Delaware County and the United States of America are entitled to have their own agenda or even be misguided. But they are NOT permitted to break the law.Open Meetings and Open Records requirements permit the public to be informed prior to decision by government, and permit review of those decisions after they have been made. Misleading agenda items and inadequate minutes, or agenda items which conceal rather than explain, prevent the public from participating in governmental decisions and prevent the sun from shining on government. Openness and full disclosure are essential requirements of a free society.
5) The reference by Mr. Miller to "double jeopardy" perhaps needs to be revisited by Mr. Miller and this time with a dictionary. To oppose any existing government with your own opinion is not harassment, it is free speech. A Grand Jury exists for the purpose of reviewing the conduct of elected officials who are in control of the government.Whether or not Mr. Miller opposes it or Jack L. Forrest supports it, a Grand Jury will be convened, with far more than the required number of signatures, and the twelve men and women on that Jury will hear evidence presented, and with the required concurrence of nine or more of those members, indictments will be issued or the decision will be made not to issue indictments; therefore, the law will be followed, as it should be, and as it ultimately is.
Jack L. Forrest
Grove, Oklahoma
918-786-7071
Editors Note: All true, but the DA chose NOT to prosecute any of the items except for the bid splitting charges, which come to trial March 13 with a six person jury. The fact that he chose NOT to prosecute could be why the petition originators excluded the DA or any of his staff from participating in the Grand Jury process. If he didn't before, why would he now? Wonder who they will get to come to Jay for this event?
posted by Editor | 2:02 AM
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