I suggest City Councilman Helzel follow his own directive to candidates for Ketchum mayoral and council positions to "lose the I" and remember that the work of public officials is the "work of we," to quote his disgraceful comments at last week's City Council meeting regarding opinions given by those candidates in campaign appearances.
The council was not meeting to address the business of political campaigns, but to do city business and so his remarks in that venue were totally out of place.
It was proper for the Express to report on his comments and get reactions to them, but it was ill advised to offer a forum in which Mr. Helzel and his fellow councilmen could then further expound on the issues raised by the new candidates, in effect giving the sitting members a free ad to support the incumbents who are running for re-election.
For Helzel to refer to the new candidates as "electoral wannabees" guilty of "bald-faced lies" reveals an arrogance that should impel voters to reject him next time around, and to give a chance to some new blood in the upcoming election. Helzel himself was obviously a "wannabee" who now shows ugly arrogance toward others who have an equal interest in performing public service for Ketchum.
All candidates who run for small-town office should be applauded and their views respected. We might be well advised to vote for new faces with new ideas, fiscal experience and a little more humility.
That's why I am voting for Phyllis Shafran for mayor.
Tim Ryan
Ketchum