William Ferentz’s letter, published Aug. 21, has prompted me to acknowledge he’s not alone in thinking that extending Lewiston City Administrator James Bennett’s contract wasn’t too smart.

What happened to the negative comments that appeared in letters to the Sun Journal that suggested it was time for Bennett to pack his bags? Also, he wasn’t lured here from Westbrook, as one article stated; I believe he was more or less let go, as that city also wised up to his antics.

With four members of the City Council leaving, they made sure that his bread would be buttered for another five years (this shows their intelligence). Bennett is already making too much to run a city of 34,000 people, when the governor makes only $70,000 to run the whole state. Anything wrong with that picture?

Cost-of-living increases, pay for his Internet, telephone and cellular phone services, plus a used police cruiser – this adds up into the most asinine deal I’ve ever heard. Being called a fair deal by Stavros Mendros only makes it sound like a joke. If you earn between $93,000 and $107,000 per year and can’t pay your bills, you shouldn’t be the big boss of Lewiston.

Let’s make it really odious – treat him like a pro athlete and give him a signing bonus. With all the extra fees Lewiston taxpayers have to pay, we can afford it.

Eliminate Bennett’s job, and give more power to a good mayor.

Bert Godin, Lewiston