support@semo.net
1573 686-9114​​​​

The DAR, the (un) official political mouthpiece for the City of Poplar Bluff, ran a series of incorrect and subjective information to SCARE THE PUBLIC today regarding the Sewer Tax which is on the ballot November 6 (spoiler alert: you should vote no).

Isn’t that the job of a newspaper? Print what the government tells them. NOT IN AMERICA, MR SCHRIEBER! Unless, of course, you are a state-run-media. Is that what you are Mr. Schreiber? State-run? Your reporter was well-aware that there was opposition to this Sewer Tax and could have easily asked for a quote — but that wouldn’t suit your propaganda piece.

How about doing some actual research and come to conclusions that DON’T fall from the mouth of City Employees like Bagby and Bach.

In the DAR today:

[BILL BACH SAID] “The original plant was designed for 2.9 million gallons per day. Now the average is 4.374 million gallons per day.”
SOURCE: Daily American Republic, Nov 1, 2012, pg 2A

But in the approved minutes of the July 16 City Council meeting it states:

Councilman Matthews asked Mr. Bach how many gallons of treated sewage are discharged every day.
Mr. Bach stated right now it is approximately 1.7 million gallons a day.
SOURCE: www.poplarbluff-mo.gov

Wow, in four months we’ve tripled our output? No, not likely.

Reported today in their headline “Rates are going up, it’s just a matter of how much.” That’s great that these guys and the D.A.R have already decided that your rates are going up. I thought it took a city council vote to raise our rates? I didn’t know that Bill and Doug and the D.A.R. could just raise them when they wanted to.

Did you know that the Municipal Utilities has $11,513,700 in the bank? That’s right…$11.5 MILLION DOLLARS! And, the City Council just gave them permission to cash in more Bonds in July worth $1.324 MILLION DOLLARS…so that means they actually have $12.837 MILLION available to them.

Sadly, the NEWSPAPER which is supposed to report THE FACTS forgot to tell you that.

DO NOT TRUST THEM!!!!

HERE’s what needs to happen.

1. On November 6th WE VOTE NO and defeat this terribly written and vague ballot question which hands a $20,000,000 blank check to the Barney-Fife-of-Utility-Managers Bill Bach.

2. Hold Sealed Bids for the Engineering Work (rather than just give it to Smith & Company and let them charge whatever they want).

3. Use the $1,340,000 of new money just authorized by City Council to do all the engineering work necessary AND present the people of Poplar Bluff with a total cost…not one estimated by the Barney Fife.

4. The citizens of Poplar Bluff then VOTE for a bond for the correct amount needed for the project.

In these days of government wasteful spending…giving Bill Bach more than a Million Dollars at a time is more idiotic than giving Barney Fife more than one bullet for his pocket.

Barney Fife

Bill Bach

Support a transparent and open local government

Because THIS SEWER TAX STINKS!