Hello Natchez citizens, I have never written an article in the paper before, but here goes. My name is Peggy Ainsworth and let me say this, I am the wife of a city employee who does take his job seriously.

This is in regard to the picture titled “Please Fix — Tie One Off The Bluff,” published Jan. 6. Do you really think a city employee would leave a zip-tie on the sidewalk on purpose?

You have the nerve to call city employees litterbugs. How dare you! Do you know who keeps those sidewalks clean from debris and trash? It’s the city employees.

I do hope you did pick up the zip tie and place it in the trash can after you took the picture. Probably not. You waited for the city to see the picture, drive 8 miles round trip to pick it up. Since you are so camera happy and can post negative things, where were you with your camera when the Christmas decorations were getting trashed and torn up across the street from Bowie’s not once but twice?

Where were you with your camera when a city official had given permission for a wedding to take place at the gazebo? The decorations were taken down, left lying on the ground, displays turned around and left a total nightmare.

Who do you think had to go back and redo this? A city employee. Why didn’t you take a picture of all this?

Where were you with your camera when the electrical cords were getting cut by vandals on some Christmas displays? This had to be replaced by a city employee.

Where were you with your camera at about 9 p.m. on the cold, rainy night taking pictures of city employees checking on the Christmas displays to make sure everything worked correctly the night before the parade? You see, some do take their job seriously.

I am so sick and tired of this knit-picking town and all the negative things they have to say about the city employees who bust there butts in 110-degree weather or 20-degree weather during rain, shine, sleet or snow.

Some take their job seriously and take pride in what they do. Not all, but some do. Have you ever thanked a city employee for weed-eating, mowing the grass and planting 2,000 tulip bulbs just this week at the Visitors Center? Probably not.

Have you ever thanked a city employee for emptying the trash cans on the bluff, fixing pot holes, keeping drains opened when it is flooding outside and you are inside staying high and dry? Probably not.

Have you ever thanked a city employee for removing the debris off the street so you could have a way to travel down the street? Probably not. Fixing the jail after inmates have torn it up so the next inmate can do the same? Probably not.

I really think that you have way to much time on your hands if you have nothing better to do than take a picture of a zip tie on the ground and send it to The Democrat to be published. You may need to get a job, and I suggest you start with the city at Public Works, since obviously a zip tie on the sidewalk worries you.

Have you ever offered a dollar burger for a job well done? Probably not. Have you ever offered a Coke or glass of tea on a hot blistering day or a cup of coffee or hot chocolate on a cold day? Probably not.

You showing a picture of a darn zip tie that was probably dropped accidentally, and calling the employees litterbugs is so insane to me. These employees don’t even get a bonus of any kind for the work they do, not even a chicken wing, much less a darn turkey or ham.

So before you go putting negative pictures and posts in the paper, why don’t you show something positive and go do something for these city employees?

Peggy Ainsworth is a Natchez resident.