Citizens need to get involved in local government

Letter to the Editor:

I grew up in Libby.  I have been gone since 1990, but like many of us that grew up here, I have moved back. Over the last four years, I have taken an interest and become as involved as I can in local government, to hopefully make a difference for a positive future.

The more I learn, the more disgusted I become. The more I dig into local issues, the more I realize how dysfunctional our city and county governments have become.

We have a mayor, city attorney and five city council members that have not only been accused of fraud, but have actually had a state agency issue a finding spelling out exactly how they committed fraud.

We have a judge, sheriff, deputy county attorney and sheriff’s deputies that are defendants in a lawsuit involving conspiracy, corruption, bribery and coercion, just to name a few.

Commissioner Motl called it, “Chicago style corruption.”

I would argue that we the citizens, share just as much blame for the situation our community is now in.

We allow it. We turn our heads and look the other way. We continue to vote for these people, regardless of their wrongdoings. 

Not only do we not hold them accountable, we actually reward them for their disgusting actions, by voting them in for another term because they are “nice people.”

I can see a clear distinction between what Libby was, and what Libby has become.

Our community cannot afford to sit on the sidelines and continue to allow this anymore. We need real leaders that are willing to lead Libby somewhere other than the ditch.

Call me an optimist, but I truly believe that Libby can be anything we want it to be.

The question is, what do you want it to be?

If not, get involved.

– Rob Hubbard,

Libby