HomeMy WebLinkAboutA002 - Letter from Ames Humane League dated December 19, 1998 against proposal to limit appointments PK-'-_- L91 -9 5 -qb
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2611 Woodview Drive
Ames, IA 50014 t, R d
December 19, 1998 p� DEC 2 l
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Mayor Ted Tedesco CITYF AE
And Ames City Council
515 Clark Street
Ames, IA 50010
Dear Mayor Tedesco and City Council:
I strongly urge you to resist placing a strict residency requirement on volunteers who wish to
serve on Ames boards and commissions. I feel that doing so would be a mistake. Volunteer
service on boards and commissions is not exactly the same thing as being employed by the City
for a salary. No tax money is paid to members of boards and commissions; instead,the City is
the recipient of a service. On what basis would you reject someone who wishes to offer
volunteer time and expertise to the City of Ames? To what ulterior motives do you attribute
"outsiders"who wish to serve and support the City? Please remember that many of these people
who do not reside within strict boundaries of the City of Ames feel strong ties to Ames, and work,
shop, attend school, etc. in Ames. The boundaries between City and County are not exactly
guarded with barbed wire, armed guards, etc. People living just outside Ames,who do not pay
city taxes, may feel they can show their support and loyalty to the City by offering volunteer
service. On what basis would you reject their offer?
At present,the board I serve on—the Ames Humane League--consists of four out of six
members who would be classified by your proposed ruling as"outsiders"—"outside agitators"
perhaps? Let's look at their possible motivations: Two of these people own businesses in Ames
and have strong interests in animal welfare. Another member is a graduate student at Iowa State
University and has served as the president of the campus ISU Humane Society. The fourth
member lives just barely outside the city limits, owns pets, and served on the Friends of the
Animal Shelter to raise money for the new animal shelter facility. Doesn't it seem that these
people have ties to Ames and legitimate reasons for wishing to serve on this particular board?
Herman Quirmbach has asked for statistics on board and commission members who are not Ames
residents. I feel certain that such a listing would reveal other volunteers who are motivated by
their interest, areas of expertise,ties to Ames,to serve as members of city boards and
commissions.
I urge you to please reconsider your proposal to require strict residency requirements and
continue to appoint board and commission members on the basis of their individual merits. I feel
that if a strict residency requirement is imposed,you would be denying to the City a pool of
helpful,talented, and loyal volunteers and creating bad public relations between the City and
close neighbors who are virtually Ames residents.
Sincerely,
Jean Harkin
Chair, Ames Humane League