|
Uncommon Words: City should work with public, whether they like them or not
by Jerry Fleagle, Hoover Presidential Found · Op-Ed · February 23, 2017
When I saw last week’s headline in the West Branch Times, “City, Hoover Foundation, WBCDG rebuilding strained relationships,” I was encouraged that people are taking notice of this problem and recognizing the efforts for change. By the end of the article, however, I was left with several questions.
I’d like to make it clear that the Foundation has always been willing to work with the city administration and our desire has always been to help build up this community.
During my tenure as executive director of the Foundation, myself and Foundation staff have contributed hundreds of volunteer hours within the community and helped fund several efforts to promote both the Hoover Campus and the Main Street business district.
The first question that came to mind from the article was a statement by city council member Jordan Ellyson who said the city had been “burned” twice in the past in fundraising and operational disputes. The article does not clarify how or when the Foundation supposedly “burned” the city. Was it because Acciona sought us out to donate to Hoover’s Hometown Days? Of course we’ll accept their donation! When any business wants to play a part as a good corporate citizen and contribute to the community in which they reside, they should be able to do so, regardless of their business struggles elsewhere. It’s just good business. Acciona was able to set aside their feelings about a pending lawsuit with the city and still participate in the community, and I applaud them for it.
Or perhaps we “burned” the city in another way? A question I have is why, since all of this “blew up” in 2014, hasn’t one single city council member contacted the Foundation to ask us for our side of the story? How can they legislate in good conscience to exclude the Hoover campus from the festival that bears our name? Now there’s a head-scratcher.
What nobody has asked is what would be the motivation for the Foundation to be difficult to work with? Why would they want to alienate themselves in the community? The simple answer is, as long as I’ve been director, we are easy to work with, and we always have been and will always strive to be. And when a disagreement occurs, as they do in business, we will work through it for the betterment of the project. Our expectation was that the city should be able to work with all of its citizens, whether they like them or not, because that is their role. I’ve never heard of a city legislating isolation of a specific citizen or organization because of a difference of opinion.
Spring is a time of renewed growth, and perhaps we can all start with a clean slate and continue the work of growing West Branch into the thriving community and tourism destination it deserves to be. My door is always open to anyone who wants to hear the Foundation’s side of this story. But as for the Foundation and its many members and trustees, we’d rather look forward to a brighter future that includes ALL members of this great community working together, unrestricted.
Jerry Fleagle is the executive director of the Hoover Presidential Foundation. You may reach him at 319-643-5327 or JFleagle@hooverpf.org.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
