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Letters: DeBoer's power is all over the city In Bruce Evans' August 5 letter to the editor, he complains of the censorship of political cartoons posted on his OWN DOOR in an office in the Armory, owned by Mayor DeBoer. Mr. Evans hasn't hipped to how things work around here it would seem. DeBoer doesn't even have to vote an issue to get his way. He blocked the membership in City Council of longtime activist Eric Navickas, because, he was, DeBoer said, "too outspoken." Similarly, he can delete the name of anyone he wishes from consideration for any of the many committees and ad hoc groups, if he feels they represent a philosophy too threatening to his own. As a major force on the budget committee, he can torpedo anything he doesn't like, whether the council passes it or not. The main criterion for access to the political process in Ashland is becoming one's degree of wimpitude. Unfortunately, the local press seems to reinforce this. Aaron Corbet Ashland *** DeBoer's plug helps Meals on Wheels Alan DeBoer is a great guy. First I will give you a background and then tell you what he did. Meals on Wheels is familiar to many, but some believe it is a welfare program, at no charge. The reality is that it is a program that has the basic cost of food and there are no grants or government funds to pay for this. The recipients are persons who are unable to prepare their own meals; some are under doctor's orders to have specified diets. The hospital and the university prepare these hot meals, ready to deliver, at cost. Meals on Wheels pay for these meals and bill the costs on to the recipient, without a margin. The part that is not paid is the network of volunteers to deliver over 14,000 meals during the year, in and around Ashland. Groups: churches, service clubs, families organize to cover five or six routes each day. All of this is a service to the community, time and auto costs to deliver. Of all these people that receive meals the majority are in the position to pay, but some do not. It is this situation that makes the donation so welcome. Alan DeBoer lost his mother, Bernice A. DeBoer, in May; he made a celebration of her life by a sentence in her obituary. A life-long resident of Ashland, Bernice DeBoer had been a Meals on Wheels volunteer over the years. She knew how important the program is and that money is needed. So Alan asked that anyone wishing to further her good works could donate to Meals on Wheels. Some of the persons, and one CPA firm, that have given us donations in her memory are: Mary Ann & Sam Davis, Myrna Puffinburger, Susan Naumes, Gary & Vivian Smith of Las Vegas and Moss Adams, CPAs. Thank you to persons making donations and many thanks to volunteers. Virginia L Vogel Treasurer, Meals on Wheels of Ashland *** LINKS: DAILY TIDINGS: Main | News | Sports | Obituaries | Opinion | Columnists | AP News | Subscribe | Archives | Weather | Classifieds | Contact Us | Privacy REVELS: Main | Calendar | Dining | Movies | T.V. OTHER: Road Cams Copyright 2003 Ashland Daily Tidings 541.482.3456. 1661 Siskiyou Blvd., Ashland, OR 97520. Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. - Advertisers -