Gosnell councilwomen defends polling

To the editor:

I am writing this letter to not only give a response to Thelma Norris's letter to the editor but also to state the true facts about her concerns.

Concerning going door-to-door polling citizens: At our previous Gosnell City Council meeting, it was stated that many of us would be asking the residents how they feel about mosquito control. I felt like the best way to truly represent my ward would be to go door-to-door and actually get signatures stating whether people were for or against mosquito control, not based on what I thought, who had contacted me or even based upon phone calls to residents.

My husband and I did walk door-to-door in my ward and people signed their name and address FOR or AGAINST mosquito control. If you had been at the City Council meeting, you would have known that the signatures that I brought forth to the table were from Ward 2, evidence of this based on addresses listed.

The results of the poll were: Out of the houses that were visited, 110 of those who elected to respond, (83 percent) or 89 people signed that they were for mosquito control, and (17 percent) or 21 people signed that they were against mosquito control. There were some who were not at home and others who did not have an opinion one way or another, therefore more than 110 homes were actually visited.

I take my job to represent the citizens of Gosnell very seriously. If I didn't, I would not have taken the many hours to truly find out how my constituents personally felt about a concerned topic. I was voted by the people of Gosnell to represent them and that is what I will continue to do.

As far as my husband going to your door in Ward 1 to ask you about mosquito control, I'm am very sorry that you were bothered by this. It was not intended to offend anyone. If I had had the time, I would have truly liked to have asked every resident in Gosnell about their feelings to get the most accurate information possible.

Melissa Quearry

Gosnell Ward 2 alderwoman