Fred Warchol: What keeps Atwater near bankruptcy? Lack of leadership

The city of Atwater’s leaders use every excuse in the book to justify their failure to lift the city out of its fiscal mud. Communities all around us, from Modesto to Fresno, are hiring city workers, putting more police on the street, paying their bills and socking away funds for the next rainy day. Here in Atwater, state auditors declare, year after year, “there is substantial doubt, the city (Atwater) will continue as a going concern.”

While the rest of Merced County flourishes, our city leaders can only rationalize their failures and avoid responsibility.

So why are we so different? It’s simple: Atwater’s leaders are living in a dream world. They say recovery is just around the corner, but it never is. They appear unconcerned that the general fund is deep in debt. Then there’s the internal bickering and personal attacks by those who roam the corridors of city hall, attempting to advance their agendas. It’s as if, the weasels have taken control. Our salvation may be a new city manager, who will change city hall from a circus to a going concern.

This story was originally published May 30, 2017 at 5:14 PM with the headline "Fred Warchol: What keeps Atwater near bankruptcy? Lack of leadership."