Ten patrons of the more than 40 in attendance at the regular Nov. 25 meeting of the Ellsworth City Council waited two hours and 16 minutes to comment on the termination of city administrator Scott Moore just one week prior. Most called for the council to justify and reconsider its decision. Here is a sample of those who spoke:

Ben Renfro: “Last Monday night at the council meeting I intended to voice my approval of Scott Moore and was denied. I expect a good lawyer could help me sue the city, but we’re not going to go there. I’m not interested in that at all.”

Renfro called it ironic that on the same front page of the Nov. 21 edition of the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter Moore termination shared space with another story on what Moore had been doing on behalf of the city in regards to the proposed building of a new community center on land owned by the Ellsworth American Legion.

“It lets you know what Scott Moore was doing. I’m here for justice for Scott Moore.”

Andrew Bair, chief executive officer of the Ellsworth County Medical Center: “If this group has participated in doing something wrong, like so many people think, you can’t go back. We’ve started to do something and we’ve started to undo the friendliness of this community. And it’s permanent. We become who we are by the decisions that we make. When we choose to do wrong things, that takes us in a different direction. If it’s the right thing, then so be it. But if it’s the wrong thing folks, you’ve got to do what you can to undo it while you can.”

Rick Sippel: “My wife and I have lived in town for 25 years, and we’ve seen some of the things that Scott has done in the community, along with the city council. My concern at this point in time is that I would like to see what the printed documentation is from the start of the process until Scott was asked to leave or let go.”

Sippel said there has to be a succession of reasons.

“And I have no idea what they are. I’ve heard all sorts of talk on the street, and I don’t like to listen to that stuff. It’s basically gossip. So whatever has happened, just for my own interest at this point in time. I had a great deal of respect for the man and all of you people in your positions. Because it’s damned if you don’t and damned if you do. Been there, done that.”

“You’re never going to agree on everything or how it’s done. Or maybe, in some cases, why it’s done.”
Mark Kennedy
Ellsworth mayor

Sippel said he will be looking forward to some sort of printed documentation.

“Whatever is legally possible of things that have happened,” he said. “Whatever is allowed.”

Mayor Mark Kennedy thanked the patrons for their comments.

“I personally believe that a well informed electorate is the best kind of electorate,” he said. “You’re never going to agree on everything or how it’s done. Or maybe, in some cases, why it’s done. And that’s probably for me one of the hardest parts of this job.”

Kennedy said there is no way members of the city council can please every person in the community.

“I respect and I look forward to that type of feedback,” he said. “So please continue to share it.”

In a brief interview with the I-R before the meeting, Kennedy said: “We know it’s going to take a couple of months. However, we do have projects now that need our attention and we want to make sure we don’t let those fall through the cracks. We want to make sure we stay on top of what we need to do in a timely manner.”