THE TIMES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

To the Citizens of Pea Ridge

Due to the controversy and firestorm over last week’s City Council meeting events, I should like to take this opportunity to detail a few of the FACTS.

The “coffee shop” talk, e-mail and rumor mill version of the meeting left out many of the crucial details of the decisions, and the motive, which were voted on by your elected representatives that night. It appears, due to this being an election year, that these details may have been omitted or misrepresented with political bias, as this information was from people who were not even in attendance.

I urge everyone before making snap decisions, to either call their council member or visit City Hall to read the meeting minutes with the correct information. With the exception of the author of the circulating e-mail, all calls received by me were overwhelmingly in agreement with the decisions we voted on once the details, facts and motive of our decision was explained.

I personally thank those many citizens for their calls to me wanting to get the facts of the meeting. Hopefully, this will encourage more folks to attend City Council meetings, which affect us all in our city.

Your City Councilmembers vote on many ordinances every meeting, all which are public knowledge and all meetings have a published agenda. There are no secrets, trickery or “good-ole-boy” favors done under the table, nor was any decision designed to “prohibit or discourage other citizens to run for office.”

I personally take offense to that, and anyone who has ever attended any meetings knows how fervently we all strive to represent the citizens as honestly as humanly possible. This meeting was no exception other than it happens to be an election year. As I stated to others, we are not infallible, but we try to make all decisions with heartfelt sincerity, professionalism and in the best interest of our constituents who elected us to represent them. Sometimes we just can’t make everyone happy, but that is no excuse for the distortion of meeting facts which this has evolved to before anything has even been officially reported.

I cannot overemphasize the importance of citizen involvement to achieve our goals of good city government and representation.

For more details of this particular meeting, please call your council member, mayor or visit city hall. You will receive the FACTS, and if our decision was incorrect or could be improved, voice your opinion and you will get answers. We work for YOU. Thank you for your many calls, and I hope to meet you at the next City Council meeting.

Sincerely,

BOB COTTINGHAM, CITY COUNCILMAN Pea Ridge, Ark.

The joy of the LORD is my strength

Do you remember the catchy little chorus, “The Joy of the LORD is my Strength?” Its one of those tunes that can take over a mind and stay all day.

Back in ’68, while in the Army, I committed my life to the Lord. With His forgiveness, I was at “peace with God.” At the Overseas Christian Serviceman’s Center, I memorized “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:6-7.

“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts ... and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing withgrace in your hearts to the Lord,” Colossians 3: 15-16.

“In everything give thanks;

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you,” 1 Thessalonians 5:18. As I applied these verses, my faith grew, and the “peace of God” replaced my doubts.

Recently, I had one of those WOW! moments when Nehemiah 8:10 popped out at me, and I realized that “Do not sorrow, the joy of the Lord is my strength” isn’t just a song, but a scriptural command!

When Paul and Silas were singing at midnight in the Philippian jail, they weren’t singing the blues. They were singing psalms like, “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing ... Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations,” Psalm 100.

As they praised God, their joy drew others to Jesus. Christians today haven’t suffered like Paul and Silas, but when we quit singing the blues and let “The joy of the Lord be our strength,” we, too, can draw people to Jesus.

ALLEN MERRITT Rogers, Ark.

Opinion, Pages 4 on 09/29/2010