Zacher: Dover councilman’s actions ‘disrespectful and immature’

I am writing this letter to the newspaper because it was suggested to me, and I feel the public should know how some of their local elected officials, who residents put into office, act toward the public at meetings.

I attended a Dover City Council meeting Jan. 23 at Dover City Hall to hear what the city was going to do about the homelessness. I am fairly new to the area and a retired schoolteacher who attended the meeting because I saw it advertised on the news station about the homeless situation and tent camps, and I wanted to help and volunteer.

I was taken back and shocked by what I observed and heard at this meeting. City Councilman Dave Anderson was sitting on the platform, laughing and making faces at a female pastor who was speaking very passionately about how she was going to help the homeless population in Dover and about how she had a plan. This councilman laughed at her, just as she finished stating she was recovering from a life-threatening illness. I felt it was offensive and inappropriate behavior by this man. His actions were unacceptable, disrespectful and immature.

The community needs to call for this councilman to step down from office for his actions. The pastor was very offended, as well as another gentleman from her group, after this councilman laughed at her and made funny faces. This meeting was very serious, and the pastor was trying to help those in need because it was brought out by a homeless person at the meeting that two homeless people just froze to death recently in one of the tent camps.

After this meeting, I went home and cried. I am very sensitive because my mom just died of cancer, and the councilman’s actions were very hurtful and insensitive. I heard him apologize after being told to, and the councilman next to him was making up excuses for his actions. But then, after the meeting, I heard him say to the man sitting in back of him, “What? She can’t take a joke?”

This councilman needs to make a public apology to the pastor that is sincere, or a petition should be signed to remove him from office.

Rosemary Zacher

Dover

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