As it's dealing with the loss of a senior planner, the city absorbed another hit last week as Walt Aikman announced he could no longer work with city leaders because he doesn't respect them.
During Thursday's Auburn City Council meeting, Aikman said he would not continue his work with Grow Auburn's Trees, a program he started in 2002.
His wife, Cynthia Aikman, resigned her post as planning economic development program manager in September rather than accept a change in duties that would remove her economic development responsibilities. City manager Mark Palesh made his decision without discussing it during open council meetings.
Walt Aikman said Palesh, Mayor Tim Lattimore and Councilor Matt Smith acted in an underhanded manner discussing the change behind closed doors. Both councilors David Dempsey and Thomas McNabb said they didn't know anything about the move to change Cynthia Aikman's job until she gave her two-week notice.
Walt Aikman can't work with the men who had such a negative impact on his family, he said.
The volunteer forester hopes to again work with the city under new leadership, he added.
“I'm sure one day when there's a different mayor and a different city manager...,” Aikman said.
During Thursday's meeting, Aikman spoke at the television camera and told viewers they could make a difference in the polls to stop underhanded politics.
Aikman plans to carry on with his work of planting trees and other forestry work.
However, he will not work with the city, performing duties such as grant writing, submissions to Tree City USA and inventorying trees.
The Auburn Public Works department, too, will continue to plant trees this fall despite the longtime volunteer's withdrawal from the program he led.
Superintendent of Public Works Jerry DelFavero said his crew will do plantings this fall, as is part of the department's operations.
“The only difference is (Aikman) would get the community involved and we don't do that,” DelFavero said.
He added Aikman was helpful and he will be missed.
“It's going to be hard to replace Walt Aikman because he had so much passion so I don't know if we can replace him,” Smith said.
Smith was not surprised to hear Aikman's choice, he said pointing to the love Aikman has for both forestry and his family.
True to Aikman's passion, DelFavero said he would defend the tree account from budget cuts - something Aikman has done annually.
The budget includes $3,000 for buying trees to be planted in the autumn, DelFavero said. The staff has a list of 52 suggested sites, which DelFavero thinks will be whittled down to about 35.
Aikman hopes Auburn continues this push for planting trees and beautifying the city he calls a great place to live. “I'm sure I'm not alone in my feelings and I feel that people in Auburn are very sensible. They know about the mismanagement that dominates the city,” Aikman said.
Staff member Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 267 or
jessica.soule@lee.net
His wife, Cynthia Aikman, resigned her post as planning economic development program manager in September rather than accept a change in duties that would remove her economic development responsibilities. City manager Mark Palesh made his decision without discussing it during open council meetings.
Walt Aikman said Palesh, Mayor Tim Lattimore and Councilor Matt Smith acted in an underhanded manner discussing the change behind closed doors. Both councilors David Dempsey and Thomas McNabb said they didn't know anything about the move to change Cynthia Aikman's job until she gave her two-week notice.
Walt Aikman can't work with the men who had such a negative impact on his family, he said.
The volunteer forester hopes to again work with the city under new leadership, he added.
“I'm sure one day when there's a different mayor and a different city manager...,” Aikman said.
During Thursday's meeting, Aikman spoke at the television camera and told viewers they could make a difference in the polls to stop underhanded politics.
Aikman plans to carry on with his work of planting trees and other forestry work.
However, he will not work with the city, performing duties such as grant writing, submissions to Tree City USA and inventorying trees.
The Auburn Public Works department, too, will continue to plant trees this fall despite the longtime volunteer's withdrawal from the program he led.
Superintendent of Public Works Jerry DelFavero said his crew will do plantings this fall, as is part of the department's operations.
“The only difference is (Aikman) would get the community involved and we don't do that,” DelFavero said.
He added Aikman was helpful and he will be missed.
“It's going to be hard to replace Walt Aikman because he had so much passion so I don't know if we can replace him,” Smith said.
Smith was not surprised to hear Aikman's choice, he said pointing to the love Aikman has for both forestry and his family.
True to Aikman's passion, DelFavero said he would defend the tree account from budget cuts - something Aikman has done annually.
The budget includes $3,000 for buying trees to be planted in the autumn, DelFavero said. The staff has a list of 52 suggested sites, which DelFavero thinks will be whittled down to about 35.
Aikman hopes Auburn continues this push for planting trees and beautifying the city he calls a great place to live. “I'm sure I'm not alone in my feelings and I feel that people in Auburn are very sensible. They know about the mismanagement that dominates the city,” Aikman said.
Staff member Jessica Soule can be reached at 253-5311, ext. 267 or
jessica.soule@lee.net
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omg wrote on Oct 3, 2007 3:43 PM: