To the editor:

The city of Suffolk is facing its greatest opportunity for improvement ever.

The new city manager, Patrick Roberts, has an opportunity to make government efficient, effective and affordable, while improving life for all its citizens.

The road to making this happen will be to operate the city as a business by eliminating wasteful spending, rewarding meaningful savings, rewarding excellent management and reducing the size of government. Removing undue regulations, improving schools, reducing bureaucratic cost and encouraging citizen involvement are just a few suggestions.

If Roberts can accomplish these goals, he will not be in Suffolk long, because other cities will be offering him jobs he can’t refuse. On the other hand, if he, like most city managers, grows the bureaucracy, which can only be sustained by increased taxes, he will not stay here long either.

Buddy Joyner

Suffolk