Farish comments on Schlabach allegations

Dear Editor,

City Councilor Joe Schlabach’s allegations of “two men” threatening him with a “baseball bat” and to “burn his house down” have now turned into a comical farce. The March 1, 2018 City Council meeting (viewable on YouTube) disclosed that the allegations were not only false, but that his attempt to have the police charge Ray Skeff and Bob Bryning with a felony for threatening a public official are another example of Schlabach’s misuse of his public position and abuse of his office.

Mr. Skeff and Mr. Bryning (one of whom had to be driven to that meeting by his daughter and the other of whom would obviously have trouble even wielding a baseball bat) are our two elder citizens who have contributed the most in their time, efforts, energy and personal fortunes to the City of Monte Vista through projects such as the Kid’s Connection and the Vali Theater.

Mr. Skeff announced at the meeting that he would immediately cease all further contributions to the city as long as Mr. Schlabach remained in office.

Mr. Schlabach’s socialistic and communistic ideological attacks on the honor and reputation of people in the community who own “large houses” are coupled with his slanderous and libelous tirades in his misguided effort to enhance his own political power and have demonstrated his mental instability and unfitness for any public office. In addition, making coarse and obviously offensive utterances to a person in a public place is a violation of Section 8-7-10 of the Monte Vista Municipal Code (disorderly conduct) and merits charges against Mr. Schlabach by the police, as well as disciplinary actions by the city council under Section 21 of the City Charter.

Despite the many demands raised by our leading citizens at the March 1, 2018 meeting for Schlabach’s resignation as city councilor, it is evident that he will remain intransigent and continue to spit his venomous abuse until forcibly removed by the city electorate in a recall.

Eugene L. Farish,

Monte Vista