Inspiration comes in all forms. (UPDATE BELOW)

I normally post something that's related to the "Inspirational Friday" theme on Fridays but today I feel compelled to post about something that inspires me in a different way. I am very passionate about my community and my country. I am sometimes drawn to write letters and comment about certain issues that are raised.

Well, today I read this article about how Lexington Mayor Jim Newberry is using our police officers and firefighters in a political tug of war. You can read it here:

http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/591358.html?pageNum=2&mi_pluck_action=page_nav#Comments_Container

I can tell you that I am really ticked off. How dare he use these fine folks in his game of tug of war with the pension board! How dare he even whisper the suggestion that he might lay off 100 police officers and firefighters! Did you know that this city still does not have the ratio of police officers and firefighters we should for a city this size?

Lexington has had the lowest crime rates in years. Our people and businesses are safer, bringing in more people who want to live here and more business.

Mayor Newberry better get his priorities straight and take a lesson from all us mothers as we teach our children to think before talking.

If you live in Lexington, KY or visit here, please send a note to the mayor at mayor@lfucg.com and be sure to copy your councilman/woman. Please let the council know that we expect them to put pressure on the Mayor to recant this ridiculous statement!

Council:

Jim Gray, jgray@lfucg.com (Vice Mayor)
Linda Gorton, lgorton@lfucg.com (At Large)
Chuck Ellinger, cellinge@lfucg.com (At Large)
Andrea James, ajames@lfucg.com (District 1)
Tom Blues, tblues@lfucg.com (District 2)
Dick DeCamp, dickd@lfucg.com (District 3)
Julian Beard, jbeard@lfucg.com (District 4)
David Stevens, davids@lfucg.com (District 5)
Kevin Stinnett, kstinnett@lfucg.com (District 6)
K.C. Crosbie, kcrosbie@lfucg.com (District 7)
George Myers, georgem2@lfucg.com (District 8)
Jay McChord, jmcchord@lfucg.com (District 9)
Don Blevins, dblevins@lfucg.com (District 10)
Peggy Henson, phenson@lfucg.com (District 11)
Ed Lane, edlane@lfucg.com (District 12)

Please email them today! Don't let the Mayor get away with this. It's time he grows up and starts acting like the guy who should be finding solutions to our city's problems...you know, the guy he promised he would be in his campaign.

UPDATE***

Here's the letter I sent to the Mayor and I don't mind sharing it with you.

Mr. Mayor,

Your comments regarding the potential cuts in the number of police officers and firefighters makes me ill. You are using these fine folks in your political tug of war with the pension board and we can all see that. It is deplorable! Might I remind you that you campaigned against the previous administration's ill concieved mistakes by championing the rights of citizens and promising to find solutions to the city's problems? Well, I can tell you that you are just creating new ones with this statement. Do you truly believe that you are inciting employee loyalty to you?

If you want to fight with the pension board, then fine. But stop dragging in the very people who put their lives on the line for the citizens of this county each and every day. At the very least you need to recant your statements and apologize to these fine folks. They do a job that you and I cannot and are unwilling to do. They are heroes in my mind and in the minds of many many others.

Figure out a way to meet the board halfway. Why do you continue to penalize public safety for the mistakes that previous administrations have made? I realize this city has a history of not taking care of their public safety employees. That is the very reason that they have been forced to stand up and fight for themselves so many times. Don't you think it's time to reach out to them and try to repair some of the damage? Why must you create new problems?

I implore you to please think through what you say before your say it. Your comments have had an irrepairable impact on this community from the moment they were uttered. I, for one, will not stand by and let you do this. I have posted a link and my thoughts to my personal blog as well as to my facebook accout. I fully intend to speak about this issue with everyone I know that lives in, works in or visits Fayette County.

I simply find your statements unbelievable and wish you had acted more adult than this.