Pre-Election Commissioners Work Hard
You just knew things were not getting off to a good start when Chairman Brown forgot and sat down between the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. Then they didn't have the trophy and prize certificates for the employee of the month. He'll get them later. They passed the smoking ordinance after Jerry Lemmond told us how much he knew about the health effects of smoke and second-hand smoke "after being in a somewhat health-related field for 25 years." Chairman Brown wanted to make sure that no one except an elected official could declare an emergency even in the event of a terrorist attack. So we go down from chairman, to vice-chairman, then by commissioner by last name. They gave the emergency management director quite a lot of grief about that. The mechanics of the new solid waste ordinance got a a ton of "what ifs" before it passed. (Kudos to Commissioner Shook for not asking what percentage of people using the solid waste site are illegal aliens.) So did the new ordinance to regulate oil spills. Commissioner Reives suggested getting a schedule from some other county of what they charge for cleaning them up. So if you are hauling trash or dumping oil on someone else's property you should probably stop. Second reading of the joint development ordinance had several questions. Most of the time it was the same answer--that was the way the city of Sanford wanted it. Then the big report came in from the high paid consultant on the Jonesboro CCCC campus. This time he presented two pages of introduction and two pages of discussion plus a new feature. (Obviously to blunt the criticism he has got here). There were 30 pictures that showed all the awful things wrong, but not a single inter alia. So we now know what we already knew-- the Jonesboro campus was built in the 1950's, has asbestos under the vinyl, and is now worn out and needs to be replaced. He is off the payroll, but "on stand by if needed." (I felt so much better to hear that!) Jamie Kelly, still in his new role, (See previous post) said that these problems with the buildings needed to be resolved and if more money was needed the school board should come back to the commissioners. Jerry Lemmond said he had "meant to" bring some copies of a brochure he had picked up at his last conference in Kansas City and would get them made and to the commissioners. In fact, Jerry was prepared with at least a couple of nit picks on just about everything and never once changed his vote. (Click here to see video of the last time he changed his vote and read more about it in my Wednesday column in the Hearld.) I must have dozed off a couple of times because radio personality and community leader Margaret Murchison was there to cover the meeting, and she asked if I was feeling all right. Actually I could have been snoring. Thanks Margaret. (Click here for post about her.) I must confess that I actually made a statement to the board during the public comments section in response to a commissioner's concern that the blog here might be undermining the morale of the county employees. Please take the time to read it at the Lee Dispatch Plus by clicking here. I have another idea who is wrecking their morale and the research is almost completed. It's a post I promised and it is coming. I just can't imagine what the October 6 meeting might hold. There is talk on the street of an October surprise. And guess what, they will be a reception honoring new and retired county employees before the meeting.
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