In Response to two previous letters written by unknown sources, isn’t it wonderful that we live in a country where we can express our first amendment rights (even when spewing venom) and not fear the Gestapo beating your door down. I am going to use my first amendment right by playing the devil’s advocate.

If you were an individual or corporation with money to invest long term and you read those two articles, you would get away from this area as fast as you could. The exact opposite is true due to the low crime rate in this area. There is a great deal of long-term investment planned for this area. The 15-million dollar retirement home planned for the area for one. Two investors stood in a city council meeting and stated the reason they want to locate here is because of the low crime rate. You talk about job loss in this area – the retirement home will employ approximately 50 people after its completion.

Our City Secretary has a name. The writers of those letters are much smarter than I am because I call her if I have a question or need help with something. The way the phone rings when you are in the office, many other people have questions, too. She is very well aware of the fact that some of you do not approve of her work ethics. In the sarcastic remark about knowing everyone else’s business, you forgot one. She is a great help to our Senior Citizens organization. We are intelligent enough to count our money, make bank deposits, etc., but when it comes to our presentation to the United Way, we need help. She does all the formal, official forms we need.

The City Council, Police, and Water Department in my opinion do not need to be defended. They do their job and much more. The City Council and Mayor are dealing with many problems that were created by previous council decisions. The water bill has attracted so much attention. Milford has two wells and water from those wells does not meet state standards. The city pays $3,700 a month for water from Files Valley. Off and on throughout the years, I have heard a story about the Neuhoff Feed Lot. They had three good deep wells and offered free water to the City of Milford if they would lay the pipeline. Why did a city council turn down that offer, I do not know. Food for though.

The City Council, you sure have it in for them. They get a packet days before the meeting that has the agenda of problems arising. Who puts out the packets? How so many people know the council sits and shuffles paper is beyond me. In the past few years that I have made an effort to attend meetings, there are rarely more than 2 or 3 people there. Since I have been going regularly, we are on our 3rd mayor. If you think the present mayor hasn’t a clue of what is going on, you have missed the boat!

Our Police, they do patrol the city and I do not live on Main Street. They wave when they go by and have been known to stop for a minute. They are very much in evidence when school is letting out, or don’t you think our children are our most valuable asset? They are also patrolling the school grounds at football games. A lot of kids play under the bleachers during the game. The parents are watching the game. Heaven help us, but what a chance to snatch a child! The Police Department delivers the Meals on Wheels each Monday. They are delivered to the City Secretary and distributed by the Police force. The list goes on. On our National Night Out, who worked any harder than our Police force. Why do you think the Chief of Police sat for an hour or more letting the kids throw pie in his face? Could it possibly be his way of letting the kids know him as a friend and one they can go to when in trouble? In November, the local school has a very nice program honoring our war veterans. The Police are there as Honor Guard. It is actually embarrassing the few that attend. The School Board and all the students participate.

It is easy to see why you found nothing to be critical of the Fire Department. You have their protection for FREE. We have that big, red, state of the art fire truck and no one asks ‘how can we afford it’? The Fire Chief, Mayor, Council, and City Secretary have all spent many hours applying for grants and filling out all the forms, red tape, and applying again-so we get the truck. The truck is useless unless you have experienced people to use it. Here come our Volunteers. And they are FREE. They spend hours training, all have extensive first aid training, Twice a month they meet to keep up with training and maintenance of the equipment. Thanks to the working relationship of the Volunteer Fire Department and our Police Department, we can go to bed knowing we’re protected as far as is humanly possible.

Personally, I am 95 years of age, and bought property here in 1990. I am a Texan by choice, and a Milford resident by choice. If you have been fortunate enough to have had no family emergencies and serious illness, you have no idea what it is like to see a familiar friendly face when you are helpless. My daughter had a long term illness and with all the local help available, we were able to care for her at home. For example, the first time she could not get up from a chair, I called Sandra. Brother John Wheatley was in City Hall. Sandra sent him. My son had a leg amputated. It was quite a learning experience. It takes a while for one’s body to adjust to the imbalance of losing a limb. When he fell a couple of times, help was available immediately. Later, he was at home with a long-term illness. The help from the citizens, Fire Department, Police, (even the Water Department came one time to help with a problem) is the way our community works. I realize those of you who are so unhappy will not change your attitude.

Today I heard a rumor that I pray is only a rumor. The 15-million dollar retirement home owners are having serious thoughts about locating here. The men were here for two City Council meetings. The City Council thanked them for their consideration of locating here. The two times they were here, there was arguing and bitterness from some of our citizens. One time, the water, the other time was the argument ‘we don’t need our full police force’.

There is no doubt people in the investment world talk. Have we lost this great chance to help our community?

A concerned citizen not ashamed to write my name,
Edna Prater