Speakout 9-8

I think the City Council should stop trying to rob the Board of Municipal Utilities and find their own way of funding. BMU, on the other hand should, if they have surplus funds, rebate them to the Sikeston residents and customers who use their power in the form of either a rebate or lower power rates.

I'm calling about the Aug. 25 article regarding BMU and transferring funds to the city. It's about time this happened. The utility department has had those funds under lock and key for way too long. And for what? The way BMU has been run has not served the best interests of the citizens of Sikeston and, folks, let's make it clear hear and now that the BMU is a municipal utility department, not a company, as Mr. Throop referred to in the article. That's one of the problems with how it's been run, like a company which has not declared dividends to its stockholders, who are the citizens of Sikeston, despite years of excess revenue. To be sure, we've enjoyed years of reasonable utility rates, but none of the other benefits to which we can now lay claim. On with the pilot.

My husband and I recently visited a local church in Sikeston. It was so hot, you could not breathe. The preacher's message would have been wonderful, but we could not enjoy it for fanning. Some ladies in the church apparently were cold and their husbands got up and turned off the ceiling fans. You can wrap up, but you can't take off. It would be indecent exposure. I know God wants his house cool and pleasant for his people to attend and worship and to be able to enjoy the message and not be fanning because that takes your mind off the services. Is there a church in town that doesn't have cliques and where people can go and be comfortable and enjoy the preacher's message? If so, please put it in SpeakOut.

I'd like to say "Amen" to Michael Jensen's Aug. 25 editorial. My husband and I have often discussed the fact that there will be a taxpayers' rebellion in this country because there is definitely not enough middle-class working people that can pay in enough money to take care of what is being spent in Washington and on welfare. Someone is going to have to go to work.

The thieves who stole my three angels out of my yard, would you please bring them back. God will forgive you and I will too. To whoever took my hen and chickens, I hope you enjoy them also. Think of me every time you look at them. You know who I am. I wouldn't do that to you.

When welfare comes in and takes children away because of neglect in the home, or because of a dirty house with roaches or something like that, I think they are completely wrong. They don't need parenting classes. The know how to love their children, they just don't know how to be a good housekeeper. What they need is for someone to come in and stay with them. Wouldn't it be cheaper to have a homemaker go in and teach them how to get things organized and how to keep a clean house instead of taking the child out of the home? If the problem is within the home, teach them in the home.