Steve Shreffler - Candidate for Monticello City Council

Below you will find the information I consider when voting for a candidate to represent me as Mayor and on City Council, but if I have overlooked something or you wish to discuss issues and positions, please let me know.

I welcome the opportunity to supply any further information you desire and answer questions you may have of me, and learn for myself in person your thoughts regarding past, present and future management of our city.

I am especially interested in knowing any changes you would like to see in our city, anything you would like to see our Mayor, City Council, and/or City Employees do differently, and your opinion regarding the multi-million dollar projects being considered by our city administration.

As I walk through our neighborhood (Ward 1) between now and election day to individually meet with voters, I am using this same opportunity to personally hear from the voters of Monticello, so I can address the issues and concerns relayed to me by our residents when I take office.

Give me a call, or if you would like me to personally stop by and meet with you, please contact me to schedule a time that is convenient for you.

Thank you for your support and remember to vote Tuesday April 7

Candidate Information:

Family: My wife and I will celebrate our 30th anniversary this June. We have two children ages 16 and 18.

History in Monticello:

Monticello resident my entire adult life since my father M. L. Shreffler became the Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Monticello in 1969.

Attended Monticello High School (Class of 1977), majoring in Communications, Art, and Industrial Arts and worked after school and weekends all four years at the Monticello Dairy Queen Brazier, having been the first 14 year old in Piatt county to ever be issued a work permit.

Both of our children attend Monticello High School and have attended school in Monticello beginning with the Kairos pre-school founded by their grandfather Pastor M. L. Shreffler 25 years earlier.

Experience in City of Monticello Affairs:

Since I grew up in Monticello and have lived here for the last 40 years, I have experienced the City's transition from the 1960s to present day.

I have seen our community weather the storm of losing major employers like Pepsin and General Cable better than most other communities would have. More importantly, I understand why.

I also understand our Municipal code (laws of the City) with special emphasis on our Zoning regulations including why & how they came to exist.

While I do not consider myself a politician, I have voluntarily attended all but three of the Monticello City Council meetings over the last 18 years and participated in many of them if I had something to contribute.

Over the same years, I have attended many Monticello Planning Commission meetings and worked with the Planning Commission members to revise our Zoning Ordinance.

I have also served as an appointed member of the Monticello Zoning Board for the last 15 years.

I seek this office from a perspective of a regular citizen and taxpayer. I am not a member of any special interest group and my only mission is to represent Ward 1 and the residents of Monticello by working to provide, preserve, and improve quality of life in our community through good judgment, due diligence, and common sense, so that Monticello will continue to be a great place to live, work and play.

If elected, my guiding principles as your representative will be the following:

Priorities:

While other candidates may have narrow focus, specific issues to lobby, or be on their own personal (and sometimes hidden) agenda, I simply wish to help make our wonderful city even better through logical and rational common sense leadership and informed decisions.

I bring a professional management approach to the City. I believe that it is important to have a voice on the City Council that does not have a political background or agenda, but rather comes from the community, with the people's interests in mind, not the interests of myself, a group of folks that I have ties or indebtedness to, or the "good old boys" system. While I have many supporters, I have not solicited or accepted any campaign contributions. Nor will I.

My priorities are simple and steadfast. I will solicit support of fellow Council members and always cast my vote for whatever is in the absolute best interest of our community. If there are issues that are ward specific or would benefit one ward over another, my priority will be to the residents of Ward 1, unless it would be to the detriment of the overall general population.

I will always oppose and have the courage to vote against wasteful spending and pet projects that only benefit a select few.

I give essential services (police, fire, streets, water, and sewer) the highest priority and will seek input from residents about their concerns. I will welcome and consider feedback from the other City Council members about the spending priorities for their districts to see how we can work together to achieve as many of our goals as possible within a balanced budget.

Important Issues:

I have talked with hundreds of people and heard a variety of issues ranging from concerns about the pool project to the flooding issues we face.

It has become evident to me that what people want most is an Alderman who they can go to with all of their concerns - an Alderman who will actively speak up and represent them at City Council.

Since the City of Monticello does not have enough money to do everything (without outside funding or raising taxes), scaling and prioritizing upcoming capital improvement projects is critical.

Municipal issues I consider worthy of study and consideration, if financially feasible, (especially if they qualify for funding through the new stimulus package) include but are not limited to the following:

(Please note that these items are listed alphabetically, NOT by priority)

Airport relocation (minimal plan as outlined by John Heider at the 11-13-07 City Council Meeting)

Bridge to reopen access to Allerton Park from Allerton Road

Determine direction for the Economic Advisory Committee

Employee health insurance

Flooding, storm water detention and drainage

House numbering

Infrastructure maintenance and incremental upgrade program

Kirby Hospital and ambulance relocation (I have serious concerns regarding the impact this may have)

Safe location for our young people to gather after school and on the weekends

Sanitary system inflow, infiltration, and blockage

Second water tower

Street and sidewalk improvements

Swimming pool repair or replacement

Truck route improvements (as specified by the Monticello CURBS organization)

True high-speed Wi-Fi wireless Internet

Update Comprehensive Plan

Wastewater treatment plant upgrades

Flooding:

Having personally been a victim of flooding in Monticello on more than one occasion, I can certainly identify with the other Monticello residents who find themselves vulnerable to repeated flooding.

After waking up on one occasion to discover 4.5 feet of water had filled my basement and 18 inches of water had covered my garage workshop floor and dealing with that aftermath, I sure would not wish the same on anyone. I believe we need to do everything within reason we can to make sure our storm water drainage system is at its best and that our flood prevention measures are examined closely.

Flooding, storm water detention, and drainage issues are of high priority, as are the sanitary system inflow, infiltration, and blockage issues that contribute to the flooding and sewer backups.

I hope the current City administration already has the necessary prerequisites in place so that we can qualify for Federal and State stimulus package money for addressing these flooding and sewer backup issues. If not, I will work diligently to assure that occurs.

Municipal Pool:

While I have personal reservations regarding the proposed cost and timing of the Pool replacement project, I am interested to see the outcome of the upcoming referendum.

As your Alderman I will represent the will of the majority of the people, provided I am sure that they have been supplied all the facts and were able to make a fully informed decision before voting.

Personally, I have not been able to learn the actual cost of the water leak, or the cost of simply repairing the pool (as opposed to complete replacement).

I feel that feasibility of the project simply boils down to the length of time it will take to recover our expenditure through water savings.

For example, if the water leak is costing us $10,000 per season, it would take 300 years to recoup a $3,000,000 expenditure.

Likewise, if we assume that a new pool has a 25-year life expectancy, the water leak would have to be costing us $120,000 per season just to break even.

Another thought, is that even if we had a break-even scenario, would we be better to just bite the bullet and allow the leak to continue, costing us a little each season for the next 300 years, or be out $3,000,000 all at once and at the same time creating significant long-term debt for our grandchildren?

Questions and Answers:

How can we improve Monticello?

The Monticello Comprehensive plan needs to be kept updated regularly and considered a blueprint for future development, not a wish list. Without a deliberate and up to date Comprehensive Plan for our community in place, any city is like a ship without a rudder.

Since success is when preparation and opportunity come together (and failure is either one without the other), we have to be prepared to capitalize on any opportunities when they emerge. For example, right now the Federal Government may have money earmarked for shovel-ready projects in the recently passed stimulus package for which we can qualify.

Hopefully, the current City administration already has the necessary prerequisites in place so that we can qualify for Federal and State money for addressing storm water, flooding, inflow & infiltration, sanitary system issues, and upcoming capital improvements (like the new water tower, water treatment plant upgrade, swimming pool, truck route, and street improvements), allowing us to use our local tax money for other projects within our community.

We need to create additional infrastructure upgrade and maintenance programs like our current annual sidewalk replacement program. One suggestion might be a program to gradually install curbs and gutters in neighborhoods that currently have none. This would make our streets last longer, improve conditions for current residents, and attract new buyers to maintain or upgrade existing housing in our older neighborhoods.

Why is a current Comprehensive Plan Important?

Since our predecessors had the foresight to create and have a comprehensive plan in place along with other prerequisite surveys and studies, we have been able to take advantage of the state and federal sponsored programs and grants in the past for which many other communities do not qualify. Several times, Monticello has been one of fewer than 12 communities that qualified for grants in the entire state, thanks to already having a plan in place when the funding became available.

This wise planning and the proactive approach of past and current City of Monticello administration to create a favorable business climate serves to retain existing jobs, create new jobs, and bring new business and industry to Monticello.

Our compressive plan must, at all times, be kept up to date and account for cumulative impacts.

What is the role of city government?

The purpose of any municipal government is to provide the community with safety and infrastructure core services. Beyond that City government should have a minimal role. Some expenditures by the City of Monticello in the past have been of a nature that does not involve these core services. As a result, our overall infrastructure is not what it could be.

The City of Monticello is a corporation and should be run like a business. Too often people refer to governing bodies as "the City", "the County", "the State" or "the Federal Government", as if they were an independent entity. Often in a negative light. We ARE the government. The City of Monticello is in the business of doing for our residents what they cannot do individually for themselves. It is the responsibility of the City Mayor, Council and Employees to run this business as efficiently as possible without waste and with equality to all.

What is the role of an Alderman?

An alderman's main function is to represent the wishes of the people as a member of City Council.

Technically the Mayor's office is the executive branch of government, however, the way our municipal code is written (the Mayor, for the most part, cannot act without consent of Council), the City Council is the executive, the legislative and the judicial branches of our Monticello city government, all rolled into one.

The main duties the Alderman who make up the City Council are charged with are establishing and enforcing local laws (City Ordinances), allocating funds for the running of the City, and hearing issues that challenge or require interpretation of our Municipal code (compiled ordinances).

To ensure that no single person or entity has a monopoly on power, we do have a system of checks and balances. The Mayor's power is checked by the Council, which for example, can refuse to confirm his appointees and has the power to impeach, or remove, the Mayor. The Council may pass ordinances, but the Mayor has the power to veto them (the Council, in turn, may override a veto with a super-majority vote).

Should the City be more proactive about bringing businesses to town?

Yes, by providing a local infrastructure that supports and encourages economic development, we will encourage new business to locate in our community.

Attracting capital-intensive business and industry to our city will generate increased revenues and raise the median household incomes of our families, all the while serving to keep our property taxes low.

By creating an even more favorable business environment, we can attract companies to complement our existing local businesses by offering additional goods and services to our community.

This allows more people to shop locally, which in turn attracts new businesses, while keeping money recycling locally.

I look forward to helping the City of Monticello develop a strong strategic plan to ensure the long-term future of our community and to promote favorable controlled economic development by working with the newly formed City of Monticello Economic Advisory Committee (EAC), Monticello Chamber of Commerce, Monticello Main Street, Monticello School System, Monticello Township, Piatt County, Piatt County Farm Bureau, other local governing bodies, and civic groups including Allerton Park, Faith in Action, Lifesavers, Monticello Area Arts Council, Monticello Historic Preservation Committee, Piatt County Seniors Transportation, Piatt County Services for Seniors, Sage Air (to name a few).

What is infrastructure?

Infrastructure is a set of attributes that facilitate the production of goods and services, such as streets, water supply, sanitary and storm sewers, dependable power, telecommunications, and so forth.

There are four main infrastructure categories in our City that need to be maintained and/or upgraded regularly to attract new businesses, additional residents, development, and redevelopment of older neighborhoods:

Transportation infrastructure

Streets, bridges, curbs, gutters, sidewalks, landscaping, roadside drainage, signage and markings, house numbering, street lighting, bicycle paths, and pedestrian walkways.

Water management infrastructure

Treatment and distribution of water for drinking and fire protection. Wastewater collection and processing. Drainage systems (storm sewers, ditches, etc.). Flood control systems (dikes, levees, and floodgates).

Communications infrastructure

Telephone network (landlines) including high-speed data cables like T1 lines for business communication and data transfer (Internet backbone). Mobile phone networks. Cable television network including local access channel. Internet backbone, including high-speed wireless network. Dedicated telecommunications networks, such as those used for internal communication and monitoring by infrastructure companies, City employees, fire, police and other local emergency services.

Energy infrastructure

We need to work closely with Ameren/IP to insure they upgrade their electrical power network, electric grid, substations, and local distribution to provide more dependable power supply and one that meets the commercial needs of potential business and industry considering our community.

Why are you running for City Council?

Prominent members of our community have been telling me for years that they wished I were their representative on City Council. While they have seen many Mayors, Alderman, and City employees come and go, I am one person that has remained constant over the last 18 years.

Over the last two decades, many Monticello residents have contacted me as the “go to guy” for their questions or concerns regarding City issues. When they see me wearing my trademark blue hat at the meetings, they are reminded of my vigilance and consistent dedication to following city affairs and looking out for their best interest, since long before the meetings were televised. Many times in the 1990's I was the only member of the public in attendance at Council Meetings.

There are several other factors that motivated my decision to seek a seat on the Monticello City Council at this time including:

ü I want to see more interaction between the City Council and residents of our community, long BEFORE decisions are made and acted upon.

ü I want to ensure that decisions are made in an open and transparent process in which the views of all interested citizens are considered.

ü I want the opportunity to work with many other Monticello residents in updating the Monticello Comprehensive Plan, which is the blueprint for how our city should grow and develop.

ü I want to serve on the City Council to influence controlled growth and development decisions.

ü I believe Monticello taxpayers want to see their tax dollars spent wisely.

ü I believe the functioning of the City of Monticello government should not be a spectator sport.

ü I believe that public service is important and I think that serving on the City Council is a perfect match for my skills and experience.

Click the play ►button on the player below to watch the Candidate's Forum.

This video is also shown on local Cable channel 2 daily at 4 AM, Noon, and 5 PM

What makes you the most qualified candidate?

I have never admired any person that built himself up by running down his competition. I have always found that type of person to be without virtues of his own. What I do is simply explain what I bring to the table; in this instance, I can offer superior leadership, dedication, and a well-diversified life experience.

My experience as a City of Monticello Zoning Board Member for the last 15 years has given me a working knowledge of our municipal government. This service, combined with my long-term attendance at City Study Session meetings, Zoning Board meetings, Planning Commission meetings, Committee Meetings, Public Information meetings, Public Hearings and City Council meetings, has kept me abreast of issues.

As a Monticello homeowner for more than 25 years and resident for the last 40 years, I have voluntarily attended, closely followed, and participated in well over 1,000 hours of City meetings.

I have the experience, commitment, passion, fresh ideas, and record to be the best City Council Member for you. I bring the skill set necessary to create new and innovative solutions to Monticello's on-going challenges.

Most consider me to be a very well-rounded and knowledgeable individual. My extensive experience in numerous fields allows me to view issues from many different angles.

I always take a practical approach to solving the challenges that face our community, both today and tomorrow.

I have the energy and passion to bring people together and build community consensus to create positive solutions in Monticello.

I will provide the highest level of availability and transparency to Monticello voters.

I am an excellent communicator. I walk my talk and have the courage to stand up for what is right.

I am a consensus builder and understand that compromise often leads to success.

I am not one of those people who feel the need to be on every board or civic group. I rather concentrate on one thing at a time and do it very well.

I am widely known to be detail oriented and methodical, always enthusiastic, and positive, which makes working with others a productive accomplishment.

I am not daunted by failure. I do not take things personally, or confuse issues with persons.

As an entrepreneur for more than 30 years, I am the type of person who is willing to take on a new venture and all that goes with it and accept full responsibility for the outcome.

I have a proven record of being able to recognize multiple opportunities, evaluate them all, choose the best one, then without delay, implement, manage, and timely complete the project successfully. This is accomplished through a combination of financial analysis, long-range planning, informed decision-making, and project management.

I am honest, ethical, and dependable. I pride myself in being able to work with all stakeholders in coming to a consensus for what is best for our community. With my experience, background, and strong sense of integrity beyond reproach, I will be valuable addition to the Monticello City Council.

Why are you running as an independent candidate?

While I have been a registered Republican and voted in every election since my 18th birthday, I chose to seek office as an independent candidate for several reasons;

First of all, I am not a Politician and the type of issues, decisions, and policies at our city level seldom involve strict party line politics. However, if they ever do, my long-time conservative track record and voting record speaks for itself. You can count on my positions and actions being most consistent with the Republican party platform. I generally support conservative and/or center-right positions, supply-side fiscal policies, and social conservatism.

Second, I did not wish to face off in a primary, due to historically low voter turnout.

More than anything, I wanted the public to have an opportunity to compare me with my opponents during the City of Monticello Candidate's Forum.

You will notice that as usual, I was not on an agenda during the "Meet the Candidates" Forum, and as such rather than read scripted lines, I was able to listen to the questions, and provide spontaneous, germane, and genuine answers. The reason I was able to do this so easily without any preparation (even an opening or closing statement) is that I am experienced, abreast of city issues, and completely comfortable answering voter's questions on the spot accurately during the town hall style meeting. Just as I have done repeatedly during City Council, Planning Commission, and Zoning Board meetings for many years.

It may interest you to know that I have been a registered Republican almost twice as long as (and 12 years before) my opponent running on the Republican ticket.

I voted in a Democratic or Republican primary before, can I still vote for you?

In a word, YES, and please do! Unlike a primary election where voters are given a specific party ballot, when you vote in the general election on April 7, all candidates, regardless of party, for Mayor and City Council will be listed on the same ballot everyone is given.

What other qualities do you possess and why should I vote for you (in alphabetical order)?

Accessibility:

While neither of our current Ward 1 Alderman have Internet access, I am easily accessible, online, by phone, and in person. While I prefer to be contacted during normal business hours, if you need to contact me evenings or weekends, I am available then too.

I pride myself in providing prompt replies to all emails and phone calls. I have responded to every single phone call and email I have received from voters since I started this campaign, and will continue this level of accessibility once on the City Council.

If I cannot immediately answer your question or address your concern initially, as your representative, I will diligently follow-up with the appropriate authority and report back to you.

Our City administration must be accountable and open to every resident of Monticello. As your Alderman, I pledge to be accessible, responsive, honest, and transparent.

Change:

I believe in change, but only for good reason and if not to the detriment of our residents.

I believe that we already have too many useless laws on the books. As a legislator, my policy is: if it's not broken, don't fix it.

The more friendly our municipal code is, the more attractive our community is to prospective new residents, developers, and businesses.

Common Sense Approach:

I even surprise myself sometimes with my ability to listen to a proposal for the first time and instantly raise common sense issues or ask questions regarding important information or points of view that may have been inadvertently omitted, much to the chagrin of the people who had diligently worked on the project in great detail.

I understand that sometimes people can be sidetracked by wrong information that can cause them to not be able to see the forest for all the trees.

I have the ability to see the big picture and I have the courage to be the one to point out that “the emperor has no clothes” *

Continuing Education:

I make it a point to learn at least one new thing every single day. I thrive on knowledge because I know the better informed we are, the better our lives and the lives of those around us will be.

I am self-taught and proficient in many fields, some of which, having surpassed my peers years ago, I am considered a leading expert. However, I personally feel that there is always more to learn.

While some people may use their computers and the Internet just to play games, I find the Internet to be a most valuable tool for networking with people who share a common interest and for gaining knowledge, true facts, and accurate information.

Courage to Speak Up:

As many of you know, I have often shown that am not afraid to speak up for what is right on issues of importance, even if not considered politically correct. Since I have no affiliation with any special interest group, I can freely represent the best interests of residents of Monticello.

I am a team player, provided the team is acting best long-term interest of our community. What I mean by this is that I am not a "rubber-stamper". I will challenge differing opinions to provoke productive discussion on an issue that does not agree with my information, to bring out additional facts so that all involved can make informed conclusions, decisions, and actions.

I will represent my constituents with honor, respect, integrity, and high principles. The people of Monticello Ward 1 and all of Monticello deserve nothing less.

Dependability:

I am dependable and healthy, so I keep appointments and get the work done. I have never missed a day of work due to illness on over 35 years.

Fiscal Responsibility:

I believe one of the most important duties an Alderman is charged with is the fiscal responsibility of insuring that our tax money is used the most efficiently way possible, to assure that we all get as much for our money as possible and in such a way that it benefits our overall population, rather than just a select few.

Fiscal responsibility to me means not only getting the best bang for the buck, but also not spending any bucks on bangs we do not need. I have always handled my personal affairs in this manner and certainly will when deciding how to spend other people's tax money.

Throughout my life, I have always taken what I had to work with and made the most of it. Since I have done this repeatedly with great success for many years, I will take the same approach when considering the budget and city resources.

If elected, I will continue to bring this fiscally conservative private sector approach to city government. I will continue to evaluate the needs of our residents and maximize our City's limited resources to meet the needs of our residents.

I will also work to prevent our children and grandchildren from being saddled with our debts through wise spending and investment in our community for our children's future.

Honesty and Accountability:

As always, I will be vocal and straightforward about where I stand on issues before City Council so that you can hold me accountable. You may not agree with me on every issue, but you will know where I stand and why. I am honest, caring, dependable, open-minded, accessible, responsive, and will be serious about my responsibilities as an elected official.

Just the Facts Ma'am :

I focus on facts. If facts are not available, I know where to get them. I am not afraid to take a position once I have the facts to support a position.

Open Minded:

I am known to be fair and unbiased. I am always willing to listen to all sides of an issue and compromise to create real solutions. The decisions that the City Council makes affect people's jobs, homes, money, safety, future, children, and quality of life. It is important to listen to the people who are affected by these decisions.

I will always consider the needs of our community, remain open-minded, and wait to take a position until all if the information is presented. Every City Council decision affects somebody. It is imperative that we listen and take into account the way our decisions will impact the people we serve.

Photographic Memory:

While my short-term memory is less than I wish it were, and I do not feel I have a photographic memory, my long-term memory of important issues, facts, numbers, and details amazes everyone. Often I am asked a question, answer it accurately, and then ask myself "how in the world did I remember that?”. This skill is helpful to the City Council as it makes me an indispensable asset when it comes to bringing facts and concepts together for the benefit of all.

Proactive Approach:

Rather than operating under the philosophy of the “squeaky wheel gets the grease” or being reactive to problems after they occur, I prefer a proactive approach through the forward-thinking, win-win leadership I bring to the table.

I carefully listen to all points of view and obtain as much information as possible to become as fully educated on an issue so that I can make an informed decision. On important issues, I will solicit the opinion of my constituents, rather than wait for them to call me.

Problem Solver:

I thrive on generating and implementing creative solutions to difficult challenges. As a business owner, employer, landlord with decades of experience working with customers, employees, tenants, and board members, I am an excellent problem-solver.

Respect:

While I certainly respect my peers and their opinions, I especially value my elders and their wisdom through life experience. Often times these days, younger people tend to overlook one of the most valuable resources we have, our seniors. Often times our elders can share wisdom and sage advice with us that otherwise we could not gain in a lifetime.

Self-Motivating:

After working 16-18 hours/day, 7 days/week for over 25 years to accomplish my goals, I have a proven track record of being a self-motivated hard worker dedicated to self-sacrifice and a willingness to work tirelessly to accomplish important objectives.

Stability:

I have had the same physical address in Monticello since 1973, same Monticello bank account number and Monticello phone number since 1977, same Monticello business location and spouse since 1979.

Willing to Listen:

Engaging our community in the decision-making processes of our City is crucial. We make better decisions when we include more ideas, perspectives, and voices. Your thoughts and opinions matter to me!

I will set my legislative agenda based on the needs and concerns of the community as communicated by my constituents.

I will listen to the perspectives of everyone, regardless of political connections or personal wealth, and I will ensure the rights of everyone to have their voices heard by City Council, even those who have opinions with which I may disagree.

Wisdom:

I have the ability to discern or judge what is true, right, and lasting through common sense deduction, which allows me to make wise, informed, and prudent decisions.

While a wise man learns from his mistakes, I prefer to go a step further and learn from other people's mistakes, rather than having to experience them myself. I can certainly look at a train wreck and know that I do not want to be in one.

Just as it is important to look at what works in other similar cities, it is even more important to examine where they have gone wrong and why, so that we do not create the same situation or suffer the same fate here in Monticello.

As I canvas Ward 1 between now and the election, I will continue to update this web page with the issues and concerns relayed to me by the voters of Monticello, so please bookmark this page and check back often.

Please remember to vote for me for City Council on Tuesday, April 7, 2009.

*For those of you not familiar with The Emperor's New Clothes written by Hans Christian Andersen, the story is about an emperor of a prosperous city like Monticello who cares more about clothes than military pursuits or entertainment. The emperor hires two swindlers who promise him the finest suit of clothes from the most beautiful cloth. This cloth, they tell him, is invisible to anyone who was either stupid or unfit for his position. Obviously, the Emperor cannot see the (non-existent) cloth, but pretends that he can for fear of appearing stupid; his ministers do the same. When the swindlers report that the suit is finished, they dress him in mime. The Emperor then goes on a procession through the capital showing off his new "clothes". During the course of the procession, an innocent small child cries out, "But he has nothing on!" The crowd realizes the child is telling the truth. The Emperor, however, holds his head high and continues the procession, as our city officials have done many times in the past, rather than admit that they had made a mistake.