The last perfect person walked on this world a little over 2,000 years ago. Since then we have had to rely on the fact that humans are not all-knowing or all-seeing. In other words, sometimes things can slip through the cracks.

That said, for being a bunch of merely humans I would have to say that I think that our current city council and mayor, and those who came before them, have done a pretty dang good job.

I would call your attention to some facts I pulled off the Internet. Our family moved to this town in 1970. At that time the population of Hermiston was 4,893. Umatilla had 679, Stanfield 891. Pendleton had a population of 13,197, which easily dwarfed that of the prior three combined of 6,463.

Our city government worked to help Hermiston and our area grow and it did. In 2010 the populations were as follows: Hermiston 16,745, Umatilla 6,980, Stanfield 2,043. Pendletons population count for 2010 was 16,612. As for who is dwarfed now, the combined population of the Hermiston area is now 25,768.

In the 40 years since our family moved to the Hermiston area the population has grown by 19,305 people; nearly three times what it was 40 years ago. Pendleton, on the other hand, has grown by 3,415. Not exactly a ball of fire, eh?

Hermiston and the Hermiston area have seen this remarkable growth in good part due to the time and effort of those of us who have stepped forward and taken a hand in the leadership of our town, the primary leaders being our city council and mayors, past and present.

Look around you and what do you see? You see a town that is growing and thriving, something most of our country cannot say.

This is why I say no to the recall, for they do not deserve a slap in the face. Rather, they deserve a thank you for their service and what they have done for the rest of us.

Perfect they are not, nor do I expect them to be so. When an error is made you fix it and move on. Its far past time to move on. Let them get back to business of helping Hermiston grow.

MARK SEVERSON HERMISTON