Petition's Fiction

Petition's Fiction, read it and weep. Front-page, Sunday, July 3, 2011, Times-Standard newspaper: Petition to fire City Manager Tyson circulates in Eureka. - “Also calls for Garr Nielsen to be reinstated.”

These are the headlines posted under this picture, as captioned: City Council Member Linda Atkins helps hand out petitions calling for the termination of Eureka City Manager David Tyson and reinstatement of former Police Chief Garr Nielsen in Eureka on Saturday.

The headline at http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_18402201 is different: “Will you sign? Petitions circulate Eureka calling for the termination of Tyson, reinstatement of Nieslen”

These petitions are a joke. They do not address the real issues, moreover whats continually stated is a bald faced lie as supported and propagated by the Times-Standard's reporting. Then read what each actually said. There is a difference. These are the words of current City Councilman Lance Madsen and Mayor Frank Jager

Eureka Councilman Lance Madsen, who spent 13 years working for the EPD until leaving the department in 1986, voiced his support of Tyson's decision Saturday.

”I would not even contemplate asking him to resign,” Madsen said. “He (Tyson) works at the direction of the council. Four voting members of the council have affirmed his decision. One person who doesn't agree does not qualify as the entire council.”

Eureka Mayor Frank Jager echoed the sentiment.

”I think they are wasting their time,” Jager said. “The council supports Mr. Tyson. Their efforts would be better spent if they worked on the election next year, rather than circulate petitions to have Tyson removed.”

Actually, they would be “better served” if they worked on a petition to have these four members of the council and the mayor removed - recalled.

In truth, what is really going on is summed up in these words of this guy, Mike Rilla: “The petitions help get the stress out.” GET THE STRESS OUT? What a waste of time.

Moreover, he continues, as reported, along with Eureka businessman George Clark:

The pair believe the reason Tyson and the council members won't explain their decision to fire Nielsen is because the decision was made on personal grounds.

”People know something is going on,” Clark said. “The only answer is that this was a personal vendetta.

Since the City Council actually made and affirmed the decision to fire Nielsen, “the only answer,” according to their reasoning is that it was a “personal vendetta” and Tyson along with Asst. City Manager Mike Knight and Captain Murl Harpham got the pleasure of enforcing it.

Think for a minute how this works. In baseball a batter get a “hit,” “hits abase run” or hits a home run,” or the “batter hits the baseball out of the park.” Does the “batter” hit the baseball or does the “bat” he uses actually hit the ball? David Tyson explained exactly how it works. He's the bat and the City Council is the batter.
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--Joe