A Letter to Our Excellent Aldermen

Disclaimer: This blog is written with the understanding that readers are familiar with the situation and/or were in attendance for the July 13 board meeting held at City Hall. Many citizens spoke in favor (myself included) of an emergency funding proposal for LINC, which was introduced by the mayor. LINC is a "hand up" organization which helps train people to find jobs among other things and provides for the poor with a "teach people to fish" mentality. The organization was previously funded largely by the county. However, due to extreme budget cuts, most of that funding has been lost. This is my plea for our aldermen to reconsider the mayor's stop-gap proposal. I do not make a case for LINC here as this was done in the meeting, but rather respond to the specific concerns brought up by those aldermen who seemed to stand (however reluctantly) against the proposal.

Dear Aldermen of Wentzville,

Please do not dismiss the possibility of emergency funding for LINC based on the "we can't help everybody" argument. If you want to have that discussion, I believe LINC would come out on top in terms of quality of charitible investment, certainly above the YMCA and other organizations mentioned in the meeting.

But that argument should not even be had. We do not need to consider any of those organizations until and unless they are on the table. They are not on the table. LINC is on the table. It seems to me that the mayor has the authority to bring these things up as he sees fit. As he mentioned, we have done things like this in the past. I believe Alderman Chris Gard along with Mayor Lambi show wisdom and foresight in their assessment that this is a particularly pressing need in our community. Few understand what will be lost if LINC cannot continue. This is the issue on the table. There is no slippery slope, because there is no law being written and there is no obligation beyond whatever is decided in this particular case. In addition, please remember, as the mayor mentioned, that we would only be replacing public funds with public funds. There is no new precedent being set here.

Respectfully, I must say that all of the sentiment in the world that we want to help the poor doesn't do anyone any good. LINC helps the poor and if the city helps LINC, then the city will help the poor. The type of financial support needed by an organization like LINC is not replaced through car washes or small donations from churches (as some suggested in the meeting). In a day when we have literally taxed ourselves to death, can we not use some of that tax money to help an organization that makes our community better from the ground up? Is that not more important than some of the other things we are using tax money for? I'm all for fiscal responsibility, but the mayor has suggested a relatively small (though helpful) amount.

Please, let's choose this time, this day and this place to help. If we can't do something similar for some other group tomorrow or the next day, we are under no obligation to do so. These things should be dealt with on a case by case basis.  Let's not refuse to do good today based on the fear of being asked to do good tomorrow. This need is urgent, local and critical.

Most have heard the story about the man throwing back one starfish at a time on a seashore choked with millions of them. I will not repeat the story here, but the idea is that the man found fulfillment in making a difference "for that one" as he threw one back, even though he couldn't help millions of others.

LINC may be something many people would rather ignore, but it is no less part of the foundation of Wentzville.  If we do not lead out in helping them survive this crisis time, no one else will help either (Other nearby cities are being asked to chip in). Please reconsider what is at stake here. There is absolutely nothing else like LINC in our city. I know you can't solve their problem completely, but will you not help a little as the mayor has suggested?

Whatever you decide, I will continue to respect you as my elected officials. 

Sincerely,
Mark  Ford
Lead Pastor
RiverOaks Church