Spouse of veteran has some questions

To The Eagle:

When I first saw Cathlamet, it was just as my husband had described to me. A beautiful home town community full of many wonderful people, and the most beautiful place I had ever seen. He had lived here prior to joining the United States Navy in 1987, and planned on retiring here after his 20 years of military service were over, so that's what we did in 2007. He wanted to come back here and put his exceptional work ethics and extensive knowledge and work skills to work for this community. We had heard such wonderful stories how retired military members were being given priority when applying for jobs as a promise to them for the immeasurable service that they made for our country. So I'm sure you can understand why we are so upset about the way things are being run in our town.

My husband put in many resumes as jobs became available here in Cathlamet, and was not given calls for interviews or even considered first for one of these jobs that he was certainly qualified to do. Finally after doing a two month long unpaid internship last summer 2013, where he worked weekdays for the public works dept, he thought he had a chance. He checked back often and even two weeks prior to the town council meeting on the 17th of November 2014 was told that there was no job opening and there wasn't going to be one, when actually they had already hired someone without advertising the position, accepting resumes or even doing interviews. When we were informed about this, we were stunned and so disappointed. Would our town leaders really do this? Yes. At the town council meeting November 17th, my husband asked the council about this only to be told by Mayor Jacobson that “It’s my fault,” without any explanation why then he dismissed my husband’s other questions and his three minutes were up.

Then it was my turn, where I began with asking the Mayor if this newly hired employee was a military veteran? “No.” Does he live local? “No.” Are you a military veteran, Mayor Jacobson?” “No.” Then I turned to the board, “Are any of you military veterans?” “No.”

So, here is where the real truth lies in our beautiful town of Cathlamet, these leaders talk a big game about being patriotic, having big patriotic parades and firework displays, but what it comes down to is that our citizens are very patriotic, lots of civilians, military veterans and their families, but our mayor and council are not. I implore someone that has the time, knowledge and is a military veteran or family member of a veteran to run for a seat on this board for the good of this town and its residents. These businessmen and women have not made the daily sacrifices that our armed forces and their families have made, and they just don't get it! If they did, they would see the importance of hiring military veterans, to thank them for their service and to use their skills to help make our town an even better place to live. They do it everywhere else, Why aren't they doing it here in Cathlamet?

Mary (Jodi) McClain

Cathlamet