Council should extend courtesy and respect

It's easy to get carried away. It's also easy to cause hard feelings, even though we may have the best of intentions.

These thoughts -- and many more -- came to mind while reading two heart-felt letters in Wednesday's Open Forum column in the McCook Daily Gazette.

In one, Corky Krizek lashed out at a member of the council for his treatment of her daughter, Missy Nelson. Corky called the councilman's demeanor atrocious, saying, "He attacked everything she (Missy) said."

In a letter on the same day, Barb Weimers spoke out in praise of Missy for her leadership of the "Share-A-Seat Campaign," but Barb also expressed understanding of the council's position, saying there are lots of needs in McCook and the responsibility cannot rest entirely on the shoulders of city government.

Corky and Barb provided a service by speaking their mind. They have brought a very important point to the council's -- and the community's -- attention.

The point is this: We're going to have differences. It's inevitable in a town with citizens who care about their community. But, in order to move forward, we need to learn to treat each other with respect, even though we may disagree on how things should be accomplished.

Take the Share-A-Seat Campaign for example. We have not heard of a single person who is against the project. What Missy and her committee hope to do is raise enough funds ($45,000 in total) to place 534 stadium-style seats in the bleachers at the McCook Memorial Auditorium. As anyone who has sat through a two-hour show at the auditorium knows, the seats will be a welcome addition. They will not only provide added comfort for spectators, they also will be an added reason to choose the auditorium as the site for events.

In other words, it is a project which should be encouraged. Although funding may not be readily available in the city's budget, council members need to be supportive -- not confrontational. After all, the project is not only helping the community; it is helping the city through improvement of the auditorium.

Let's hope Monday's meeting and the letters it provoked will be a reminder to the council of the need to be courteous and respectful to the citizens appearing before them. It can be intimidating to appear before the council. While not all requests can be granted, at least the council can extend courtesy and encouragement to those who have the courage to come forward with ideas.