Publisher's Note: Candidate Hackleman's blog has been getting some attention lately. This page will provide summary analysis and links to specific posts/comments for your convenience. Candidate Hackleman has since posted a statement on his Blog that suggests theguardiannews has taken his prior statements out of context and that other candidates would look for similar treatment.
Theguardiannews feels that a particular issue in this election has been made over the intentions of persons presently representing the City of Sidney. Mr. Hackleman until today has simply referred to this issue in very abstract ways. Today he mentions that the problem with City Council Members is that certain councilmen bid on city contracts and that if elected, he would change the practice to ban all elected or appointed officials from bidding on city work.
His justification for the proposed policy is to avoid the appearance of impropriety. It is a policy he is committed to and as such, theguardiannews makes no statement for or against it. That is up to the public to decide.
With respect to the commentary below, theguardiannews does find fault with Hackleman's logic, primarily due to the fact that it is legally permissible for sitting councilmen to bid on city work and it has been so for a number of years. The oversight protections employed statutorily act as an appropriate check and balance under the present law and castigating sitting council members for participating in a legal manner is just wrong.
If you don't like the policy, act to change it and hold people accountable for the changes that can be put into effect. Theguardiannews stands by the analysis below, but will be happy to correct any area that suffers from misstatement upon correction by interested parties.
This publication remains committed to bringing the candidate positions to the public for their consideration. It is unfortunate that Candidate Hackleman used unfortunate language to characterize the intent of this publication toward any candidate as untoward. I sincerely hope he will remove the language from his post as soon as possible.
Sidney City Council Candidate Tim Hackleman says city council members should refrain from bidding on city business. Citing the claims portion of this week's city council meeting, Hackleman illustrates his logic for his position.
"There were five claims voted on:
A. Convert-A-Ball, Endurance Flag, & Sidney Farm Supply – Direct ties to Councilman VanVleet (who abstained from the vote and, apparently, has no other claims)
B. Filsinger Excavating – Direct ties to Councilman Filsinger (who abstained from the vote)
C. Hillside Ventures – Direct ties to Councilman Filsinger (who abstained from vote)
D. White Bluffs Animal Clinic – Direct ties to Mayor Weiderspon (who abstained from the vote)
E. All other claims."
Although clearly noting that the involved councilmen abstained from voting on measures for which they held an interest, he goes on further to ask why a city councilman would even want to bid on such services while holding a council seat, citing the potential for appearance of impropriety.
theguardiannews asked a follow up question to candidate Hackleman about whether or not candidates should have to forgo a portion of their livelihood just because they sit on council. The question was meant to illicit a policy response from the candidate, but was turned around to imply that the question was intended to imply Hackleman wanted to hurt local business.
Hackleman gets to his specific point in the following statement:
"These are the reasons why I believe that City Council members should never bid on goods and services needed by the City they serve:
First, Councilmen should avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest. Even if it is "lawful." Councilmen are privileged to information (budget amounts) before businesses are invited to bid. Therefore, they could always submit the lowest bid. There is a tremendous cloud of "distrust" over the City Council. It would go a long way if, instead of abstaining from votes, they simply abstained from bidding.
Second, if the bids for certain services went to members of the City Council, what about all the other small businesses in the community that could provide the same services? What about their "livelihood"? You should serve in an elected office for the sole purpose of serving your community, not for added income."
Hackleman believes that sitting councilmen have access to privileged information and that they are able to act on that to the detriment of businesses not owned by council members. He also believes that if businesses owned by council members benefit, then those who are not suffer. While not accusing, Hackleman's question about should a person serve in an elected office for the sole purpose of serving the community, not for added income implies that sitting council members are doing so for the extra income.
Both statements which Hackleman bases his position on are false. No evidence has been given that any councilman has acted unethically, improperly used or accessed privileged information in order to secure a bid on city work, nor sought to use their council position to restrict or otherwise prevent any business from legitimately obtaining work with the city.
In other statements, Hackleman has made references to council members who he says put their own interest above the needs of the city. When asked by respondents to his post, He refuses to name names, citing a disdain for negative campaigns. He further states that most people know who they probably are and that the affected council members probably know who they are as well.
theguardiannews believes that you cannot say you want to run a positive campaign and throw allegations that council members are acting in their own self interest at the expense of the citizens of Sidney. Saying your want to clean up corruption is fine, you shouldn't be afraid to name the corrupt along with specifics of what violations they have allegedly done. Doing so would be slanderous or libelous in the absence of proof, and the guardiannnews suspects that none will be forthcoming.
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