President Pettitt
Dear Brad Pettitt,
With regard to your “Join In” (Thinking Allowed, Herald, January 27, 2018).
Lower profile this year, Brad?
C’mon man, you are the most Photoshopped man in Freo.
But how about tackling increasing business drop outs, anti-social behaviour, vandalism, parking, the mess that is the city’s heart.
These aren’t particularly local government issues either, but helping to get them solved might help fix a lot of other things.
And if you want to bang a local government drum, aren’t there better ways to do it than confrontation.
Perhaps at a local government forum, with some consensus and co-ordinated plan.
Sometimes not being the headline grabber can work to. Its called diplomacy. Talking.
Engaging with people who can change things, not upsetting them.
Don’t be a Trump.
John Loundes
East Street, East Fremantle

Fairy flutters off
IT was quite depressing to read of yet another iconic business, The Pickled Fairy,  leaving Fremantle.
If only the mayor and council had put as much effort into making Fremantle a more tourist- and business-friendly place, as they have in playing politics with Australia Day and pandering to developers building mediocre apartments that are of little or no benefit to the many homeless around the area.
The King’s Square development is supposed to be the saviour of our city, however the cynic in me says it is more about new council offices than anything else.
If only we had someone similar to Frederick Samson in charge, as a mayor he was forward-thinking and far-sighted when it came to the future preservation of Fremantle and no doubt would be spinning at thousands of revs in his grave seeing what has happened to his beloved town.
Geoff Dunstone
Carrington St, Palmyra

Third-degree Burns
A BIG thanks to Liz and Dougie at Saga Bookshop who hosted the birthday of Robert Burns Scotland’s international Poet and brought the community together to share their common interest in the poetry and music of Scotland’s Bard.
The evening of music, poetry and fine fare had all the ingredients to make it special and it was.
It brought people from different age groups and backgrounds together to share their common interest or curiosity about Burns.
He was very local in his outlook but also a broad understanding of his time a time of tumult and similar to our present tensions and difficulties.
Places like Fremantle still show how local and international come together.
Everyone who lives here brings their own culture and to have places to share that is how we build community.
It’s the best thing to keep a healthy place where heart and mind meet.
Fay Kennedy
High Street, Fremantle