What kind of example are we setting here? Public outbursts, tantrums, accusations, veiled threats — even name-calling and swearing that makes our city board room appear more like a school locker room. Quite frankly this is an embarrassment to the community and the tax payers they represent.

The most recent episode was at Monday’ city council work session, when board member Martin literally started a verbal fight with Mayor John Stiehm, mocking his previous job and using profanity most of us would never use against someone in private, let alone at a public meeting.

The Austin School Board may not have been using profane language, and they have not appeared to be much better in the past six months, with finger-pointing, animosity, and accusations and lack evidence to back them up.

A split board rooms need to put aside their differences — they do and will have many of them, they must conduct themselves in a professional manner — and work issues to manage the district, the city, the county and the state.

Are these the same people we elected to run our government? When they initially filed their candidacies, was this really what they had in mind, or is it just cases of tempers and egos gone out of control?

Regardless, a few of these officials need to learn communication by talking to each other in a civil manner to work out problems and live up to their potential and expectations as excellent leaders, which most of them are and can be. They are public figures who must set good examples to be respected, trusted, and to lead our community by example.

Most of us learned very early in life, one must treat everyone with the respect that they deserve. We have many outstanding residents on our City, County and School boards watching out for our best interests, unfortunately a lonely few can tarnish the respect of an entire board in an instant.