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Sometimes you have to wait for greatness to shine through...
Don Wright is always
Wright; this time he’s Right!
By Bob Rhoades
Sometimes you just have to wait for greatness to shine through.
Don Wright’s editorial is just that. He waited, did some homework
and wrote a pretty decent article. I was flattered to be
mentioned in the same article as Jeanne Morris, Bill Funderburg and
others but not surprised that Don and I agree on the issue of Melody
Lucas. You see, even two old dudes like us have the intelligence to
respect someone else’s opinion especially when it’s right. Don
Wright was dead on in his assessment of the current debacle in the
commissioner’s office. Yes, it’s still current because even
though it probably isn’t showing up on their agenda, they have failed
to act on a problem that was brought before them, namely theft in
office by an employee and the subsequent investigation of that theft by
a law enforcement agency.
Since the person was terminated either by the commissioners or on her
own, it would seem that there is some merit to the charges against her.
However, those charges which are just hanging out there right now, are
gaining company by the commissioner’s non action.
The dictionary gives these explanations of malfeasance in office...
Misconduct: conduct by a public official that cannot be legally
justified or that conflicts with the law. Unlawful act: an act carried
out by a public official that cannot be legally justified or that
conflicts with the law
If further prosecution of the former EMA director after an
investigation shows that there was an unlawful wrong doing isn’t going
to happen, probably the rest of us should have an explanation of why.
It looks like perhaps the commissioners have a duty to act or face the
same investigative process.
Then there is nonfeasance in office.
Failure to meet legal obligations: in law, the omission of some act
that is expected to have been performed.
I suppose that they don’t really have to do anything, but it seems that
the rest of us expect that our office holders will protect our assets
as they were sworn by law to do. Don’t know about you but I
expected this to happen.
Then there is misfeasance n. management of a business, public office or
other responsibility in which there are errors and an unfortunate
result through mistake or carelessness, but without evil intent and/or
violation of law. Misfeasance is distinguished from “malfeasance” which
is conduct in violation of the law. (See: malfeasance)
Have errors been committed? Sort of looks like it. I’m just
reading explanations here but anyone who can understand what they are
reading would have an expectation that the actions of everyone involved
in this fiasco fall under one of these headings. You don’t have
to be a law school graduate to figure this one out.
It’s probably going to take a Freedom of Information Request for all of
the involved documents from this incident to make sense of it because
our commissioners who want us to be so open with them on our wants,
don’t want to be so open with the rest of us on a problem that has cost
the county a considerable amount of money. Right now it’s do as I
say and not as I do. Once again a double set of standards.
There can only be one reason for public officials to act like this and
that is a cover-up of something or the actions of someone.
Neither Don nor I are getting any younger. There have been people
who have told us both to shut up and let it lay. Go away, don’t
mess with stuff. Someone needs to stay on top of crap like this
because in this case, the checks and balances that our forefathers
thought they wrote into our laws aren’t working. The legislative,
judicial and administrative branches are supposed to keep each other in
check. The assumption in this way of doing things is that all
involved are honorable. If these three people want us to believe
that they are honorable, the decision making process on this matter
needs to be revisited. There is a quote that is attributed to
Pres. Lincoln that goes like this: “You can fool some of the people all
of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot
fool all of the people all of the time.”
It is clear that all of us have not been fooled by this deal. The
commissioners have placed themselves in a precarious position by their
actions and inactions. The next election that a commissioner is
up for re-election should be a dandy. It will be for the seat
that is held by Mr. Stegall. If any of you have ever
aspired to run for public office that would be the time to run!
I didn’t mention the school board issue because it pretty much makes me
sick, but I agree with Don on that also. At least in the case of
the BOE, it’s just a case of not understanding how things are supposed
to work and that micromanagement isn’t why they are in existence.
The Commissioners is a little different deal!
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