Thank a federal worker this week

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·2 min read

Public Service Recognition Week is May 5-11. Across our nation in all communities federal, state, county and local employees serve us every day. We should publicly acknowledge all of them. Public servants dedicate themselves to serving their country and communities, even amid recent economic and public health challenges. We should recognize the outstanding work now being done by active federal workers and those now retired.

Let's use this week to understand what federal workers really do. They work alongside our military at home and abroad to defend our country. They conduct cutting-edge research to improve health and prevent disease. They regulate food and drug products to keep us safe. When natural disasters strike, they are there to provide relief and help us rebuild.

We should know that 85% of federal employees work outside of Washington, D.C. All around our nation, federal employees help seniors get their Social Security benefits, guide airplanes safely through our skies, and care for our veterans and wounded warriors.

During Public Service Recognition Week, let's focus on the important work of all public employees and take a moment to thank them for their service.

Glenn Flood, Palm Springs

Residents of Palm Desert deserve transparency

California State Assemblyperson Ralph M. Brown defined what became the Brown Act: "The people of this State do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies which serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is good for them not to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may retain control over the instruments they have created."

I believe all closed-session city council meetings should be ended. I also believe that the majority of voters in the City of Palm Desert, if afforded the opportunity to vote on the matter, would agree.

Ronald S. De Luna, Palm Desert

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Thank a federal worker this week