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Open letter to Council members Warren, McKellar, Westbrook, McGee and Sellers:

As a concerned citizen, I started reading the news report regarding Harvey Hall and its connection to Legionnaires’ Disease. There was a misleading statement in one of the news reports that I wanted to bring to light, in case you were not already aware of it.

The newspaper article states that, “The initial tests by NET Health on Oct. 25 revealed appropriate chlorine levels were present in water samples collected in Harvey Convention Center, said Terrence Ates, NET Health public information officer.”

The city started a chlorine conversion four days before these initial tests were done at Harvey Hall. The chlorine conversion started Oct. 21. This conversion process would skew test results and, therefore, that day’s “appropriate” chlorine levels would have no correlation to what the chlorine residual actually was during the East Texas State Fair.

I submitted an Open Records Request for the flushing logs that pertain to the time frame of the East Texas State Fair to verify what the chlorine residual actually was during that period.

Fair Park Drive was flushed on Sept. 9, Sept. 13 and Oct. 8. The opening chlorine residual, respectively, was 0.71, 0.47 and 0.21. This shows that the initial chlorine residual for Fair Park Drive before the fair (Sept. 13) and soon after the fair (Oct. 8) was below the minimum TCEQ standards.

Since the opening chlorine residuals before and after the fair were below the minimum standards, this shows the water system in that area was not maintaining the required chlorine residual for potable water systems. Chlorine residual is necessary to keep bacteria growth at bay.

With regards to Rose Park Drive, the hydrant was flushed on Sept. 9 and Oct. 4. The opening chlorine residual, respectively, was 0.60 and 0.48.

The chlorine residual fell below the minimum required level between flushes.

TCEQ requires that a minimum chlorine residual of 0.5 be maintained throughout the water distribution system. Though the city flushes and thereby raises the residual to at least the minimum amount for a period of time, the city is not maintaining the minimum amount, leaving the health and safety of the consumers of the city’s water at risk.

The Harvey Hall area is not the only area with below the minimum requirements. There are other areas with initial opening chlorine residual falling below or way below the minimum.

Caroline Sanchez

Tyler

CONGRESS TARGETS TRUMP

Elections matter to your and my liberty and freedom under our Constitution — quite obvious.

Face it, government has grown to a point that citizens do not understand what is going on in Washington affecting our everyday lives.

It used to be that newspapers and TV picked out the “most important news,” explained it and gave us “their opinion” on the news. That no longer works because all news is biased, trying to convince us their opinion is right. The volume of news is also overwhelming to the point that trivial news crowds out important news.

OK. Politics has always been dirty, mean and controlled by big money to obtain the practitioner’s objective.

What is different today is the big money is no longer American money dedicated to the best interests of you and me.

The vast majority of political money is from multinational corporations with allegiances well beyond America and you and me.

Bottom line: American voters are no longer in control of our government. A stunning charge, but look at Congress and what they are doing and not doing. They are attempting to overthrow our duly elected president right before an election.

That is what elections are for if citizens want a new president. Congress is not tending to vital budget issues, trade, etc.

Fact: Trump has made stunning improvements to our economy, helping all citizens.

Harry Bergman

Tyler

impeach TRUMP

President Donald Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women. He has many credible accusers.

He has repeatedly insulted John McCain — a war hero and former senator who was respected and loved by the country — both while Sen. McCain was alive and after his death.

Trump separated migrant children from their families and put them in cages. These were people coming here to escape violence from their homes, and they were greeted at gunpoint and their children were dragged away from them screaming and crying.

Trump lies to the American people every day. Even if you can look past this, which I cannot, he asked the Ukrainian government to help him in the 2020 election.

This is clearly in violation of campaign finance laws, which would fall under the definition of high crimes and misdemeanors.

Trump broke our laws. No president, elected official or individual is or should be above the law. Impeach the president.

Jacob Bryce

Tyler