To whom it may concern:

When I first ran for a seat on the [Tarkio] board of alderman, I did so with the intentions of making the city better than it was. Much of my focus was on improving infrastructure and maintaining the infrastructure that had already been updated.

It’s hard enough to find time in a busy schedule to dedicate to this position and even harder when it feels like that is a waste of an already scarce resource. In the last few months, it has become clear that my vision on how to improve our city does not align with the views of the mayor and the rest of the board. I’ve heard speeches about how we need to change the culture in our city departments, but once given the chance to enact change, the answer is more of the same, as we can’t rock any boats.

We have one department that is hemorrhaging money, and this council doesn’t seem to care. When citizens come to the council with legitimate concerns, they are either met back with hostility or complete disinterest in the matter. When an elected official states in a public forum that he has never read our ordinances and has no plans to do so, it is an embarrassment to our city. I cannot sit back idly and watch this any longer. I have lost too much sleep worrying about this city to see nothing but inaction on serious issues in our community. This is not a decision I’ve come to lightly as I do take pride in helping out and feel we have accomplished much in my time on the council, but my sanity can only take so much. With that I am resigning from my position as North ward Alderman effective immediately.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Scott Walker