Letter to the editor: Communicating with City of Sumter on issues is difficult

The following are lessons I have learned from interactions with the City of Sumter:

1. Many city employees are huffy and don't like interacting with the public.

2. City council decisions are made in advance of public meetings.

3. If you want to say something at a city council meeting you get 3 minutes to speak. Prior to speaking, you have to show up at the meeting 15 minutes early and have to sit through two hours of the meeting business before being allowed to speak.

4. City ordinances are written to legislate responsibilities away from the city onto the backs of local residents.

5. Many city supervisory personnel ignore the opinions of residents. They have the attitude of: "Why do you have a problem? I don't have a problem. Why do you?"

6. Many city employees insinuate that city residents work for them; the city doesn't work for the local residents.

7. The application to Contact the City on the internet may or may not be answered by the city.

8. Always ask for written communications when communicating with the city.

9. Phone call communications with the city often result in misinformation being provided by the city.

10. The city organizational chart is difficult to find.

11. Responsibilities of various departments are hard to find.

12. Communications between many city departments are infrequent.

13. The Sanitation Department appears to have too many supervisors and not enough workers.

14. It's hard to schedule an appointment with the city manager.

15. It's hard to get the city's attention on an issue.

16. Many city employees try to punish local residents by delaying or failing to provide city services.

17. There is a difference between Public Services and Public Works. Public Services includes Public Works, Sanitation, Construction, Parks and Gardens, and Utilities.

18. The city is going to do what the city wants to do and don't you forget it.

19. The city is accountable to no one.

I think prior City Councilman Steve Corley, Litter Control Officer Glenn Button, the Police Department and the Planning Department were the only positive encounters I have experienced with the city.

The director of Public Services and mayor appear to be kind of wishy washy.

DAVID PEEPLES

Sumter