Everywhere you go, there is a dark story. Every city and town has one. Mesquite, however, has several.

Over the past seven years that I have had a magnifying glass over this city, watching the moves of the chess pieces and seeing the constant roller coaster ride of success, there is one thing I have learned.

Mesquite has a wild hair that can be triggered at any given moment. And please note – it’s not just the powers that be on the city council. It’s also very much a part of the residents.

It’s with the current situation of the city targeting former Fire Chief Kash Christopher that broke the straw on this camel’s back. The following needs to be said, and it needs to be fixed now.

Christopher is just the latest victim in a long line of people, not just city employees, who have been canned because of their successes and ability to build one aspect of the city beyond others.

I won’t name names, but there are several people who are determined to get things done their way, no matter what the cost.

These people didn’t get their way with raising ‘Issue A’, so they moved on to ‘Issue B’ and again to ‘Issue C’ and finally got what they wanted.

But that’s not the main point here.

The main point is that in the past seven years that I have worked at the Mesquite Local News, there have been at least eight others who have been given the pink slip. Eight others who built up their various departments and began seeing progress and success, all gone.

Of course, no one would go on record saying as much, but you can bet they were given the same greeting that Christopher was given. “Resign or be fired.” And all while doing their job at making Mesquite one of the best cities in Nevada.

But this Mean Streak needs to end.

Every single one of us who call Mesquite home needs to realize something. We’re all in this together, regardless if you were born and raised here or if you decided to retire here. If we don’t learn to open our minds and compromise, then we might as well close off the access to the freeway and let Mesquite die right here and right now. By the way, the definition of compromise is not to throw a fit when you don’t get your way. The definition is to settle a dispute by mutual concession. To reach an agreement where both sides give a little to resolve a situation. To share a cost in a communal issue. Need I say more?

We, as a city, need to come together and stand up for what is right, and to speak out when we disagree. Then, we need to be a part of the solution to compromise to a point where all sides can live with the outcome.

Remember that saying, “One bad egg will ruin the whole carton?” That’s Mesquite.

Because of these people, Mesquite now has to go through another hiring process and find a fire chief. We can only hope the next one is half as good as Christopher. Keep in mind he was one of a dozen specialized chiefs in the country. He did far more than he was paid for.

Because of these people, your life might be at risk. Because of them, another quality employee has been terminated from the city.

Because of them, grant money that could save lives may have been lost.

And, because of them, you and I may be paying for this for many years to come.

Just think, this could have been avoided with a little bit of compromising.