city council prayer and comments

Gracious Heavenly Father. As we open this meeting tonight with prayer we thank you for our town. We thank you for the diversity, the history, and the future that lies before us. We ask that you you for the forgiveness of sins offered through your Son Jesus Christ. We are eternally grateful the salvation that comes through him alone. By praying to start this meeting we are acknowledging you as our Creator and Sustainer. We are acknowledging your wisdom and knowledge. We are admitting that we need your help every day. Lord, we pray for wisdom on behalf of our city council. Guide them in the decisions they make as they represent the citizens of Palestine. Help each of them to see all the details of each issue and help them hear the heart of every perspective that is brought before them. We thank you for being our sovereign and Holy God and we pray all this in the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen

Comments on behalf of Steve...

Romans 13:3 HCSB

For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval.

Romans 13:

When I moved to Palestine over five years ago i met some wonderful people. I’ve grown to love our community, its a blessing to live in Palestine. I heard many positive things about our community but I also saw quickly we weren’t a perfect city. We dealt with some pretty serious issues and many have doubted the city councils ability to handle the issues. Today is a day where you can prove your critics are wrong. Over the last two years there has been a shining light in our city government, his name is Steve groom. He’s served our community faithfully, with kind and gracious spirit. He has invested in Palestine 110%, which is more than can be said of others! If I recall correctly our finances have been a mess since I came five years ago. If the problem was around for at least 3 years prior to Steve, it seems unwise to move him in the middle of his efforts fix the problems. I’ve appreciated the transparency of his department and his advocating on behalf of the city. You will be hard pressed to find a man who is more honest and easier to work with. He wants nothing more than to see this city thrive. As an elected leader myself, I have needed people with more wisdom and experience around me to keep me from making an decisions that would ultimately hurt me. I’m asking you to help your city manager. Save him the heart ache and trouble of having to manage his first city, without an honest and faithful finance director. I’m afraid if we continue on this path, we will find ourselves looking for a new city manager in a few years, with all the same financial problems and less money to work with. I would request that before you finalize your decision that you slow down, talk to Steve, sit down with Steve and the City Manager to discuss what is in the best interest of the city. Thank you for your service and consideration.