EDITOR: I believe the story in the June 20 edition of The Times
about the Ford dealership discussion at a City Council meeting took
my words out of context and twisted them with other words and
points instead of actual reporting what occurred.
EDITOR:
I believe the story in the June 20 edition of The Times about the Ford dealership discussion at a City Council meeting took my words out of context and twisted them with other words and points instead of actual reporting what occurred.
I am attaching a copy of exactly what was said by me at the meeting, as I was reading from a print-out of my thoughts/feelings put to paper. I’d like to point out the time I actually apologized to Mayor Dennis Kennedy before making a remark I carried through.
Also, please note how and why I said Mayor Kennedy may not be up to par for the mayor position.
What I said will show that I am a mother very concerned for my child’s and all other children’s safety, and the public’s for that matter:
Good evening council members.
My name is Sandi Fairband and I want to introduce you to my infant daughter, Brinley.
We live in a neighborhood several blocks north and away from the proposed Ford dealership and auto mall site. Nevertheless our lives will directly be impacted if you approve this auto mall this evening (herein referred to auto mall as you and I both know that this is what will happen – no matter what promise you made to the city manager, you cannot guarantee more will not follow and as you’ve said yourself the dealerships like to group together).
Brinley is ours, Morgan Hill’s and America’s future. She and future siblings will go to school at Nordstrom Elementary, she already plays at the Nordstrom Community Park – during weekdays when we attend Las Madres playgroups and sometimes on weekends when we walk as a family to the park. Allowing this auto mall to materialize at this location extremely jeopardizes that future. I don’t have to say how as you have heard it over and over again in the last weeks, whether via emails, phone calls or at the last council meeting.
However, what greatly concerns me is – are you listening? You shorten the length of our freedom to voice our concerns at the council meetings as you feel we’re all saying the same thing. Maybe we are, but maybe that is because we are right and you need to hear us. Isn’t it clear to you that with so many of us voicing the same concerns, this choice and location is not right for Morgan Hill.
Mayor Kennedy, you are quoted in the Morgan Hill Times saying “We certainly don’t want this individual in MH, it’s a very small and family-oriented community” – you got that part right, we are. But what I don’t understand is why do you have the foresight to try to keep a child molester out, and yet not prevent a business from happening in a location that will only spell disaster? And all for a measly $1 million over 10 years?
I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be a smart-aleck, but do you need a refresher course in business? And this line about Dunne being the only location, or the dealership will walk and that you can’t do anything about it is crap. Or you, sir, are not up to par to do your job. Let me remind you “that job” is to hear and protect us – the citizens of this community and the ones who elected you.
Also, Ford isn’t the only one out there, if they’re interested, so are all the other auto makers and they will negotiate a location – if they want in bad enough. On a final note, let me tell you what Ford stands for – not fix or repair daily, but found on road dead.
Please do not let that acronym, Found On Road Dead, be my daughter or another precious child, or any person for that matter because you can not control where test drives will happen. Though it seems apparent that your minds are made up, I demand that you listen to all of us this evening and I challenge you to make the correct decision for all of Morgan Hill.
Sandi Fairband, Morgan Hill
