The information at the last Council Meeting that Mr. Young is retiring at the end of January comes as a most welcome surprise. I did not think he could be "rehabilitated" after decades of Favoritism, Cronyism and Nepotism? I would have been willing to give him the chance, but truthfully held out little hope? I noted that it was tried to "intimidate" me, a year of so back by a Department Head. My wife says I was "threatened". In either case as I post this, I will "allege" it was he who I believe did it? The response time on my later call to help my neighbors and the Hell I went through with his Department on FOIAs on the call are to me pretty much confirmation on his willingness to follow the Law for one and all?
Simply put, I understand fully having to decide on doing what I was supposed to do or roll over and do what I am told. I have always chosen to this day to do the right thing no matter the cost if I had to break my Oath/ Word. We can NOT have our Honor taken from us. We must sell , barter or give it away; that is the only way to lose it. People have a choice each day to either make decisions based on emotions or on their duty. Which road one takes can be a difficult one to choose?
His choice of course but will Mr. Rapp in the last days of 2016 hire a new and progressive Chief? Or another "who do I like as long as he follows my agenda on Favoritism, Cronyism and Nepotism"? He should vet Ms. Smith for this opening to go along with all her other five positions. Maybe we will get her up to 40 hours yet? Or is she already pulling the strings?
Mr. Stephens is fully expecting to be the new County Sheriff, so his current position will be open and I am sure he will lead his lad into the sunshine of yet another high paying Government Job? You must all remember, that there is no person on the face of this earth outside of Wood County that is competent to fill any of the round robin jobs as they open up except one of the currently employed ones on a payroll somewhere else in Wood County? This could easily be one of the reasons there are so many problems with each and every one of us getting the same level of assistance we are entitled too? IF and I repeat IF you were not connected at what ever level before, you will not be in their new job?
It is my ongoing and naïve belief that there many good Government employees not only here in Vienna, but in Wood County and the State itself. I DO meet with some them on my luckier days. But far too many are very much into nepotism, cronyism and favoritism. For those watching, it is sometimes obvious that we at whatever level did not quite hire the best possible candidate. And when we do that in a Public position, we are shorting the Residents, Voters and Tax Payers who deserve the very best of any service we are responsible to provide to them. But the higher one goes up the food chain, the more one runs into folks that could do or be a better representative to whomever they are supposed to serve? When we forget that as Public Servants we are the servers; not the owners, the bosses of the ultimate authority because only we have the best answer. Sometimes those the farthest from the seat of authority see a problem and a solution? In a private company, the boss can hire anyone they want; they can promote anyone they want. Not in a Public Entity should that be acceptable anytime.
I will clearly note the alleged efforts of Ms. Jones, the County Circuit Court Clerk who tried to talk me from filing my Court Cases against Mr. Rapp. Than I will note the alleged efforts of the outgoing Mr. Shaffer as County Assessor who I noted clearly refused to provide County information on Tax Assessing when I asked in a FOIA. Will just note in passing his inability to find Vienna when it was time to chase some of the dozens of out of state licensed vehicle? It seems I made him angry when I noted an employee retiring; his using that persons' salary for raises than crying poor mouth that he did not have the staff to do the work? My point, he should have hired new staff FIRST.
In contrast, I can give huge Atta boys to Mr. Rhodes and his staff in the County Clerks Office. Each time I call or go in, they are so helpful and pleasant. Mr. Rhodes himself has helped me several times and I am most appreciative of that. I am a no body but I got courtesy and respect anyways.
In the 28tdh "Their Opinion" Op-ed, a Mr. Hill who is the Chancellor of the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission wrote on articles from the past week that commented that West Virginia Colleges and Universities on operating on lean bank accounts. They do not appear to have the desired months of cash reserves to operate in an emergency? He went on about how much the Schools have reduces spending in past 4 years- 17% or $52M dollars. Good, it is a plus for the Taxpayers anytime a Government Entity begins to squeeze the fat out of the programs. Could they do more; absolutely. But we are now hearing the Schools are graduating a record number of students (to work where?).
He than notes "that West Virginia has long lagged behind the nation in educational attainment, we are turning that around". In what I believe are simple words, as I admit I am not very smart, he is saying the number graduating people is growing? Why the Hell did he not say that instead of talking down to me and every real world person reading his comments?
At the end but as would be expected he does his dog and pony show for more money for the schools. I will contend still that there is fat to cut off the body of higher education and more room for the needed leanness of sound fiscal responsibility to the Tax Payers AND those paying the ever increasing Tuition costs. I also do not believe this has yet happened in each individual school as necessary in careful and mature review of where the money is going? I refuse to believe it is necessary to constantly throw money at pay raises. Not a single teacher will be a better teacher if paid more. Classes, seminars, one on one tutoring as it shows itself to be needed will be far more beneficial per teacher's need. The pay increase should be that they keep their jobs instead of being encouraged in the new career they should be pursuing if not able to teach the lads and lassies.
If the Legislature wishes to do something constructive, maybe it should be paying closer attention to the archaic and sometimes punitive Laws that make it hard for a business to start up or stay here? I am carefully noting here not to throw the baby out with the bath water. Archaic and punitive does not mean that worker safety; environmental responsibilities or economic return for each dollar saved from a realignment of Laws versus what it truly brings to its Communities/ State be ignored under the guise of "Reform". We have just gone through several years of "Reform" and I am still waiting for an honest to gosh checklist of good versus bad because of the recent Legislative Sessions?
The above will pretty much tick off a whole lot of people; but I don't care. The people PAYING the bills deserve the closest they can get each day to a dollar paid/ a dollar earned. Not much to ask I would think? 'nuff said'.
(Paid for by the Candidate- Lawrence J. Wilson for Mayor of Vienna).