Dear Editor,
Before Mayor Ken Ellery Watkins took office, the city had some reasonable semblance in the concept of balanced growth and sustainability with manageable stress on the frail infrastructure. That has radically changed, and I blame Mayor Ken What-kins. I believe Watkins has failed to listen to the Kingman people’s concerns, is dismissive, and has lost the all-important trust of his constituents. Candidate Watkins would say this is a personal attack, but please do not let that deceptive smile on What-kin’s face fool you. Never let him get away with answering your question with a question of his own; it is his favorite diversion from addressing the real issues and problems in the city. It is a red flag when a City Mayor refuses to relinquish some control to the people who elected him, but pretends to care.
Each incumbent city council member running for re-election will be or has been respectfully vetted by my campaign platform. We began a few months back with Councilman Ward. Smiley is still not smiling. He does not understand that the thousands of readers of that publication understood when a council member breaches integrity, votes against their better judgment, caves into peer pressure, or faces a conflict of interest, those circumstances are a question of integrity and service, not a personal attack. If you are voting against the best (immediate and long-term) interests of the people who elected you to represent them, it is the worst thing any elected representative can do.
City council members are elected to represent the people’s human needs and balance that with the people’s economic, municipal, and brick-and-mortar needs. Mayor Watkins is running for office once again, and he has totally lost his balance. He is in favor of extending his own current term of office with no interruption or election. He “wants” a lot, maybe we should just nickname him Want-kins, whatever?
Curious, I did some casual research and found that Watkins is a hometown boy, and one can reasonably assume that he is part of the “whatever” Kingman establishment. The report indicated he owns several big businesses and at least 17 properties. His family owns Bulldog Disposal, and not long ago, got the contract for the Kingman City Recycling program. No bids were put out, but he got the contract and the potential to make big money. No bids were put out because, allegedly, no other company wanted the job. My question is, how does the city know if no bids were put out?
I also heard some local rumblings about his possible ownership of some airport property that would profit after city annexation, something about a “hush, hush” Pet Co. distribution warehouse. In that same rumble, I heard he tried to annex county property where he has built a new lavish home so he could reside there and be in compliance with the city requirement to be a city resident when holding the position of mayor. Am I the only one who questions such a lack of integrity and manipulative control?
I am Elliot Chalew, and I am a candidate for City Councilman who represents undeniable transparency and an honorable pledge to promote the voice and the will of Kingman’s people on the Kingman City Council, (no matter What-kins says, or Want-kins plots).
Elliott Chalew
