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Dalton
Roberts |
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County Commission
Chairman Fred Skillern recently said, “With five votes, we could move
the courthouse.” In case you don‘t follow all the childish games now
posing as “county government,” let me acquaint you with this latest
one. County Mayor Claude
Ramsey had given genial Sam Woolwine permission to store in a county
building some things related to a charitable golf tournament. It was to
be the county’s in-kind contribution to a good cause and a temporary
thing with no harm done. Ever alert to show off the power of the
commission, and to make sure it is used for trivial purposes, Chairman
Skillern hopped up on a fence post and crowed about the commission’s
mighty muscles. He spoke of commission
authority over all county property. It was not the commission but the
county executive who asked for a legal interpretation of who had
authority to dole out office space to elected officials. There were
pieces of state law that seemed to give that power to the executive (now
mayor) and other pieces that seemed to give it to the commission. I
didn’t contest the county attorney’s interpretation at the time but
Mayor Ramsey may want to do that to make sure the clowns don’t move
his office to the county dump. I am an old rat in the
political barn who learned from some of the finest old barn rats this
area has ever known. So let me explain what is going on for those who
are not titillated by silly cat and mouse political games. Mayor Ramsey went all
over this county meeting with citizens to get their thoughts on
improving schools. It was a good idea but it was not the commission’s
(they don’t have many) so they were cool toward it and voted down the
people-forged plan for better schools. Their only interest in education
seems to be selecting the school superintendent. Unfortunately for them
and fortunately for the rest of us, that power is vested in the school
board. Now that they have
defeated the mayor’s school plan, they stay alert to any chance to
spank Mayor Ramsey for daring to have an idea of his own. It gives them
a chance to bowsie-wowsie around and yip-yap at his heels to show what
dominant little doggies they are. This commission is the
best one we’ve ever had at making mountains out of tiny molehills and
reducing important mountains to minuscule molehills. They do each with
great aplomb. No molehill or mountain is safe in their presence. The commission
chairman has not sought my ideas on where he should move the courthouse
but out of the goodness of my heart I am venturing some suggestions. The first suggestion
that came to mind was Onion Bottom because this commission stinks so
bad. Then I thought about how Gene Roberts grew up there and restored
Onion Bottom’s good name through years of honorable public service. I
decided to back off Onion Bottom My second suggestion
is to move it next door to Superintendent Register’s office. From the
time he got out of bed this morning until he finished his first cup of
coffee he forgot more than his harshest commission critics will ever
know. Living next door, they might go over and learn a few things. Another idea is to
move it next door to Toys R Us. Maybe they can learn some new games and
quit boring us with Arf Arf, a game similar to Monopoly
where you try to scare people by talking about the power you have
amassed. They could move it
next to Central High School where a new roof is needed. If it starts
leaking, they could run over and move buckets around. Or next door to
Brainerd High where there is asbestos in the ceiling. It would show
bravery to expose themselves to the same dangers students face. The problem is, no
matter where they move it they will still be there. |
