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Gacke: Transparency is instrumental in good honest leadership

To the Editor:

I had the privilege of watching the recent candidate forum. Being an out-of-town resident, I’m unable to vote for city leaders; however, as a city property owner, their decisions affect me.

Current administration mentioned being fiscally responsible with our tax dollars. I purchase electricity from Sioux Valley Electric at $0.10550/kwh, Whetstone Valley Electric $0.11330/kwh, and City of Luverne at $0.13740/kwh.  Why are Luverne’s electricity costs higher than the other two? Could part of it be because, even after a trade-in, the city paid $120,000 on a 98-foot bucket truck for which, if one drives around town with roughly 1.5 miles of overhead power lines, it’s usage would be minimal.  Could it be the approved purchase of a $600,000 utilities pole digger truck?  Once again, bear in mind the city’s estimated 1.5 miles of overhead power lines.  Was the request for its purchase presented with the pretense of, in the event distribution transformers, which seldom fail, need repairs or replacement?   It would be more fiscally responsible to pay for a crane crew to come fix or replace them, if and when the need arises.

If they are being fiscally responsible, why has there been transfers from the electric utility revenues, at a rate of 16.7 percent, to other accounts for the last four years?  If we are aware this is taking place in the electric department, what could be going in their other departments i.e., fire, water and sewer, and street we are not aware of?  Transparency is instrumental in good honest leadership.

I agree with Isaac DeBoer’s recent statement of perhaps the enactment of a public utilities commission which includes out-of-town residents who are city proprietors.  

Tony Gacke

Luverne

Editor's note: this letter was inadvertently overlooked for the Star Herald's Oct. 17 print publication and will appear in the Oct. 24 printed Star Herald. The Star Herald regrets the oversight, and it's published online free of a paywall.

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