Boss Hogg Needs to Go

Last evening, a post on my facebook feed caught my attention. It was from the sheriff on his personal facebook page. He has his professional one too and didn't post this particular item there so he probably thinks it's ok. I don't. But, maybe it's just me.

Quick review: Sheriff Pat Kelly has a 'Sheriff Pat Kelly' facebook page and a 'Pat Kelly' facebook page. He posts a lot of the same stuff on both. Awhile back, some people were complaining that he shouldn't be posting official sheriff stuff on his personal page so he made the sheriff page so he could do that. I have an issue with some of the stuff he posts on that page because it comes off sounding like the arrested persons are already determined to be guilty when we STILL have innocent until proven guilty in this country. I think. If I were a defense attorney, I'd be all over that for my client. A whole nuther issue.

Anyway, last night I saw this:

Pat Kelly

Thanks so much to my family, friends and supporters that came to walk with my campaign group and to my staff, employees and reserves that came out and participated in the parade with my office. Thanks to Pearl Graham for driving the SALT float and all the members of SALT that participated. To Becky and Suzie for preparing a wonderful cookout. To Smith Concrete for your support. To everyone and especially Jim Childs for your support and the job you do. Thanks to all!

Sweet that he's thanking his supporters and all but some of those supporters are "staff, employees and reserves" and "especially Jim Childs".

Stuff like this kinda bothers me. Even if there is no coercion from 'boss' to 'employee', or employee sucking up to boss, it looks wrong.

And that's why we have laws. We have the Federal Hatch Act and the Ohio “Little” Hatch Act. These are not obscure laws that no one has ever heard of. If you've ever been a public employee, you probably know what they mean, generally speaking.

Basically, if you are a public employee, stay out of partisan politics. You can vote, you can have an opinion, and you can be involved in nonpartisan campaigns and run for nonpartisan offices (school board and such), but to be on the safe side, stay out of the fun part of politics.

Christina L. Corl wrote a pretty good overview.

There is good rationale for this going in both directions. An employee can't be forced to campaign for their boss, which used to happen frequently, and employees can't curry favor with their boss by campaigning for him.

What adds flavor is we went through this before. Back when the race was between the current sheriff and the previous sheriff, one of the deputies was fired for campaigning against his boss. Termination of employment is the penalty that is to be paid but since an arbitrator over-ruled the initial finding, the deputy got his job back and 75K besides. And now that deputy is Sheriff Kelly's "friend and sounding board" according to Pat Kelly's facebook posting of this afternoon. Nope, no impropriety here.

Having employees and other underlings (rumor has it Explorer Scouts too) campaigning may seem rather frivolous to some. I find it quite important because if the sheriff chooses to ignore some laws, how does he enforce any laws? The sheriff is not above the law nor are the deputies.

If this particular issue isn't quite enough to cause alarm, try adding a couple of issues that reveal a pattern of behavior. A county commissioner who beat his wife and had pot in his house was treated much differently than someone else under similar circumstances. The hiring of a convicted felon as a deputy - the son of a friend who campaigned for him. And we'll not get into the money issues from that office - yet.

And I'm going to pay attention when the sheriff says I can't drive my truck in the snow. Hold your breath.

And I'm suppose to follow his orders if marshal law is ever declared. Hold your breath.

If Sheriff Kelly loses the election this fall, is he going to delete his personal facebook profile or turn it over to Mr. Kane? After all, the url is facebook.com/athenssheriff.

Opower

Do you know what Opower is? Yea. I didn't either.

Every other month for the past 18 months or so, we get this letter from American Electric Power telling us how we're using too much electricity. The first one I mostly ignored. The second one, however, I had to see what it was. So I called AEP to inquire why we were getting these mailings. That was a funny 20-minute conversation that ended with me saying: "this is the only company I know of that doesn't want to sell it's product." The only thing I knew when I hung up was that AEP didn't want us to actually use any electricity.

I still don't have the answer to that mystery but after doing a little bit of digging, I found out why the conversation I had with the lady who works for AEP was so funny. She didn't have a clue what I was talking about. She knew the letters were sent and a basic overview of what they were, but she couldn't answer the questions that came from my paranoid persona such as, What does AEP care how much electricity we use if we pay our bill every month? Are they trying to say that if we don't slow our usage as a collective, there's going to be blackouts? She babbled something about our carbon footprint and I told her I preferred to employ coalminers. I don't think she got the reference.

AEP doesn't generate the letters. The letters are generated by Opower. I don't know who actually mails them and I don't think it really matters, but the graphs and charts are made by a relatively new company - Opower.

So, what is Opower? Basically, Opower is an international computer programing company. They design and run the software that gathers data from a utility company, evaluates customer usage, and generates reports which are sent to 'encourage' consumers to use less energy by shaming them into thinking their neighbors are more energy efficient than they are. They are also looking to convince utility companies to develop websites that encourage their customers to interact with energy management tools. I didn't look but I bet there's an app for that.

I don't know about you, but this garbage sends shivers down my spine. It doesn't stop with an every other month mailing. They worship smart meters of course and the more of those there are, the better they can manipulate the data.

They also want to convince the utility companies to text you part way through your billing cycle if you are on track to use more energy than normal. I suppose the reverse might also apply. You get a smiley face text when you come in under your monthly allotment. Yes. A smiley face.

The logo for this company is a smiley face. And the one on their website winks at you when you hover over it. Creepy.

This whole company seems rather juvenile. I don't know. They really only manage to piss me off to the nth degree. They put a smiley face on your evaluation for cryin' out loud. Anyway, as you peruse their website and you get to the careers page, you'll see all the perks. And there are a ton. Great! It's a private company. Coffee bar, kitchen, free lunch, farm-fresh milk, ping pong, scooters, among other things. I wonder when nap time is? And can't forget the annual mustache contest called Viva Cinco de Moustache. Yea, it's in May. I'm not sure exactly how many of their employees might be old enough to actually grow a mustache or if they can paste one on.... Of course, they might eat the paste.

Find the "Meet the Team" link at the bottom and you'll find a bunch of black and white's of the employees. Hover. It's cute. If you're running a daycare center. Maybe it's me.

Go to the Ometer link. This is where they make their claims about the amount of energy being saved because of their program. (Be sure to click on the arrows) Maybe it's true, maybe it isn't.

We've taken more than 90,000 homes "off the grid" so far.

We've effectively added more than 6,000 acres of rainforest (which could sequester as much CO₂ as we've abated)

We've created 790 jobs (not counting the 230 people working at Opower)

You could drive a Chevy Volt around the world more than 160,000 times on our current energy savings

Their argument is that by sending the consumer this information, the consumer then takes steps to reduce their energy consumption because their neighbor is using less and we have to keep up with the Jones' after all.

Sure. In our household, we are using less electricity. But it has nothing to do with getting those stupid letters. They of course are going to take credit for it.

Let's start by examining the latest letter we received.

On the back are energy saving tips. I so love these. This months' tips include:

Hang laundry to dry. Did you know that reduces wear and tear on clothes? That's what they said. I happen to know for a fact that is false. If you have ever been poor enough or old enough to hang laundry on a clothes line in the back yard, you know that the sun deteriorates fibers much quicker than any clothes dryer. Nevermind the fact that it is quite labor intensive.

Use fans instead of AC. Do you know how much electricity fans use? And you're gonna need more than one.

Use and switch off power strips. Plug all the devices around your tv into a power strip, then switch the strip off when you're not watching tv. I pay extra for the dvr thing. If there's no power to it, it doesn't record anything. I watch nothing live. Even the news gets recorded. That way I can skip through commercials. Our dvr is either recording or playing back more than it isn't.

On the front, our graphs show that we are not keeping up with the Jones' very well. We're doing better than "similar homes" but this 2-months we used 70% more than "Efficient Similar Homes". Let's define those. Efficient Similar Homes are the most efficient 20% of similar homes. Similar Homes are approximately 100 occupied apartments or condos that have electric heat and are either in the same building or nearby (avg 5.4 miles away).

Since only a few will recognize just how funny this is, I'll explain. We live in the biggest freakin' condo. Most people call it a house. Just the two of us live here at this address. There are no other apartments. The other buildings are called barns. There are quite a few residents but they all have four legs. Also, I know that there is not a single apartment building or condo within 5.4 miles of us. So our consumption on a farm is being compared to the consumption of those who live in apartments and condos. Sounds like maybe these guys went to Harvard or something.

I assume AEP is paying Opower. But at least some of the reports that Opower is generating is extremely inaccurate. Does AEP care that the reports are b.s.? Usually, private companies are very diligent with accuracy doing that which they were hired to do. At least that was always the goal of any business I've been involved in. Unless they're doing government work. We'll have to have a look at that.

Back to why we are using less electricity. Electric rates have been increasing by double digits each year over the last few years. This past January, they were due to spike and they did by 45% or more in some cases. Last summer, we decided to go back to burning wood. Quite a few of our friends made the same decision. So the real result? Electricity consumption went down and wood consumption went up. Trees were cut down, sawed up, and tossed in wood burners where they made smoke. Probably a lot more smoke collectively than the electricity generating plants that use coal but hey, we used less electricity. Met the goal. That's what matters and we solved the problem they're claiming we have. Didn't we?

Get Off the Drugs and Do for Yourself

We're doomed. Society has become so dependent on 'authority' we don't even know how to get rid of our leftover dope. Or maybe we're too stoned to think and do for ourselves.

The war on drugs was waged over 40 years ago and as far as I can tell, nothing much has changed. If anything, it's gotten worse. How long must it go on before we realize it isn't working?

Today, one of the battles was fought in Athens County. They had one of those pill drop off sites. You know, where people drop off the meds they didn't take and turn them in to be properly disposed. I suppose it makes people feel better. Ahhhhhhh Get the bad drugs off the street.

If those bad drugs include old vitamins. Come on. You don't really think people are turning in their oxy do you? Heck no. That stuff was already ripped off by the dealer of the family.

So why do we need these little shows. They do the same thing with guns. Turn in your guns and we'll give you a $25 gift card. Sure. I'm going to bring in a perfectly good gun for 25 bucks. Nope. Don't think so. Those guns that get turned in are completely worthless. Just like the meds, they have zero street value. But it makes people feel better to think something is being done. It doesn't matter what that something is, just so it's something. The media gets a story they can sensationalize showing those bags of drugs and the sheriff looks like he's busy.

Evidently, it doesn't occur to people to go ahead and dispose of these leftover meds/vitamins on their own. Is that illegal now or something? And, why are they leftover anyway? Why didn't you take them? Or is it one of those you just had to ask your doctor about and he wrote the script even though it wasn't right for you? Isn't that what every other commercial says? "Ask your doctor if _____ is right for you".

Maybe there is a drug problem in this country. But it's really difficult to tell the kids to just say no to the illicit drugs when their parents are hooked on the prescription ones. It's difficult to tell the kids to say no to illicit drugs when the parents are getting the kid his own fist full of scripts.

At least today, they got all those nasty vitamins off the street. The street value had to be pretty high. $0?

The War on Farming

We have so many 'wars' gong on in this country, what's one more?

The regulations on farming are bad enough but they're about to get worse.

In Michigan, they're dealing with a 'feral swine' ban. Anyone raising certain species of hogs had to dispose of them by April 1 of this year. Hog farmers are being subjected to raids and searched for the now illegal swine. Some other states have instituted similar legislation. NY wants to tell you how much salt to use and CA says you can't buy your kid a happy meal. And how many places have shut down lemon-aid stands?

Now come the feds. The Department of Labor wants to regulate what farm kids can do on the farm and the Department of Justice is seizing the bank accounts of farmers.

This country is turned upside down and spinning on it's head. The idiots are in charge.

Locally, and I'm sure in other places as well, there is a group pushing the '30-mile meal'. The idea is to buy as much as possible within 30 miles of your home. By doing this, you are supporting your farmer neighbors, getting fresher food, and reducing your 'carbon footprint' by reducing the miles required to transport food. Even though the majority of the people involved in this little project are on the opposite end of the political spectrum from me, I still like the idea.

If a project of this type were to really catch on and take off, the government MUST get the hell out of the way. I want to be able to visit for a minute or two with the neighbor when I stop to buy milk. Can't buy milk from the neighbor now. The government says so. I can't have a neighbor butcher my calf for me. The government says so. I can't have a neighbor buy goat meat from me. The government says so. Want to sell excess produce from your backyard garden? Forget it. It's not that it's impossible to do these things, but if you are going to do them legally, it is time consuming and very expensive to get the permits and build the facilities the government requires.

Evidently the government doesn't think they have enough control. The government is now telling farm families they can no longer have their children do farm chores. And if you don't deposit all of your earnings into your bank account, the government takes it from you under The Bank Secrecy Act. This kind of legislation will drive small producers out of business. The small producers are you and your neighbors.

Why? The government says our kids are too fat. They should get more exercise and eat healthier they say. Yet they now want farm kids to sit and do nothing and would rather kids eat produce from Mexico as opposed to buying lettuce from a local farmer. The government keeps pushing the idea that we should be using less gas and reducing our carbon footprint but makes it impossible to do that when it comes to buying our most basic needs. They are taking control of the food supply at an alarming rate and we are either powerless to stop it or too stupid to see the big picture.

He who controls the food supply, controls the people.

Soylent Green anyone?

Going to Mexico with Malia

I've been trying to imagine what sort of parent would allow their 13 year old daughter to go to Mexico with her friend. I can't think of a single one of my friends who would have been allowed to go. Back when I was 13, we didn't get a spring break unless you count Good Friday as spring break. And some years we didn't even get that if we had too many snow days to make up.

Malia and her friends going to Mexico is utter nonsense. If I were 13 and one of her friends who were invited to go, the trip wouldn't happen because my mother would have stopped it.

The problem with trying to put my 13 year old self into this situation is that it would never have happened. Not because Malia and I wouldn't have been friends, I lived nowhere near D.C. But because, when I was 13, parents had more sense and they actually parented. Something that seems to have been lost somewhere along the line. And my mother would have laughed thinking there was a punchline somewhere. We didn't know anyone who went to Mexico.

But this is how I imagine the conversation would have transpired had I been a friend of Malia and we actually got a spring break:

Me:  Mom, I got invited to go to Mexico with Malia for spring break. Can I go?

Mom: The country?

Me: Yes, the country. What other Mexico is there? Geez. (eyeball roll)

Mom: No! Not at 13 you're not. Thirteen year olds don't go to Mexico for spring break. Thirteen year olds don't go on spring break.

Me: But all the other girls are going.

Mom: You aren't all the other girls. If all the other girls jumped off a bridge, would you? Who the hell would take their kid to Mexico? (said to air) I'm not going to Mexico so you aren't going to Mexico.

Me: It's just us girls going. Malia's dad is paying for it and he told her she could take her friends.

Mom: Are you out of your mind? By yourselves? You're not going to Mexico. It's not safe for adults never mind a group of 13 year old girls. Parents aren't going?

Me: But there will be plenty of secret service guys going with us.

Mom: I don't care if there are a hundred secret service guys, you're not going and that's final.

And my 13 year old best friend would have been standing right there with me for moral support and would have had to answer the question: "What did your mother say?" To which she would have replied: "We haven't asked her yet."

At this point my mother would have been on the phone dressing down Moochelle about allowing 13 year olds to go to Mexico which would have included a couple of "Who the hell do you think you are? You don't tell 13 year old girls they can go to Mexico." Unless it was Mr. Obama who answered the phone then it would have been even more entertaining because that conversation would have included the part about how much it would cost the taxpayers and she would have tossed out the figures of the salaries of 25 secret service agents, the cost of flying down there, and all the other expenses involved.

And I would have been mortified as I ran across the road to my best friend's house to ask her mother where the conversation would be eerily similar.

If after all of that, the trip was still a go, the conversation between my mother and the other mothers would have left Malia to go alone, thus halting the trip, I would think. My mom would have been communicating with the other moms at the various mom functions of the day - girl scouts, PTA meetings, ball games, church - where the moms would compare stories thus making the part about all the others going b.s.

My mom had the nads to actually call. My daughter and I would have had a similar conversation but I wouldn't have made the phone call.

Just Because You Can, Doesn't Mean You Should

Athens County Auditor, Jill Thompson, is in the midst of a battle with the sheriff, Pat Kelly, and the prosecutor, Keller Blackburn, over where some of the funds for their offices should be kept. It seems the sheriff and the prosecutor want to move money to outside accounts and the auditor is questioning the appropriateness of their requests, as well she should.

According to The Athens Messenger:

Blackburn and Sheriff Patrick Kelly sent Auditor Jill Thompson letters instructing her to move money from their Drug Law Enforcement and Law Enforcement Trust Fund accounts into outside bank accounts they would control.

Maybe it's just me but it sounds a bit shady.

Blackburn seems to think it's ok since it's not tax money but money from criminal cases. Ummmm, I disagree. Regardless of how the money is generated, it still belongs to the citizens of the county to be used on their behalf to catch criminals and prosecute them. There must be a system of checks and balances, so to speak, for the citizenry to have some semblance of faith in the government that the officials aren't lining their own pockets.

And that's where the auditor comes in to the picture. We have a great auditor in Athens County. I'm convinced the reason she lost her bid for state representative had more to do with voters not wanting to share her with the rest of the district. I heard those sentiments expressed by R's and D's both. Keep in mind, she is one of two elected R's in this superD county.

If the auditor doesn't have oversight on the various accounts that are set up for each of the county departments, how can we, as citizens and taxpayers, know that the money is being spent appropriately? As a citizen, I don't need to know every microscopic detail of the budgets in the county. I'm sure it would make my head explode. That's why we have an auditor. But if something doesn't sit right with me, I need to be able to have a look at the books. If each department gets to utilize outside accounts for this, that, or the other, I can never be sure that the money isn't being used nefariously and the auditor loses the ability to do what she was elected to do.

Both the sheriff and the prosecutor are claiming that it is because of the 'sensitive nature' these particular funds are used for as the reason they need to do this. It seems to me that a big part of both departments deal with things of a sensitive nature.

Also, in the Messenger:

Blackburn said that if Thompson issues the checks so the money can be moved, she would not face any future state audit liability because she has documented her concerns.

That isn't the point, Keller. Jill is doing her job. Just because she has documented her concerns, doesn't mean you are entitled to get your way. Maybe if you concentrated more on doing your job, there would be fewer criminals getting away with murder.

And, there is a track record already that these funds are misused. The sheriff's Furtherance of Justice account (which is allowed by Ohio Revised Code) audit showed expenditures without supporting documentation as well as money spent on carpet, which is not a valid expense for this account. Pat says he thought that was an okay purchase. Wrong.

So if you don't even know what is and is not approved purchases, why should the auditor give you another account to manipulate? That's like doubling a kid's lunch money this week because he spent last weeks' lunch money on video games. So now he can get a video game AND lunch. Or maybe two video games.


And your argument that other counties do it is so lame. When I tried to make that argument as a kid to my mother, she said: If the rest of your friends jump off a bridge, are you going to do it too?

Of course not. And that is what I gather Jill is trying to say too. You, Pat and Keller, have your jobs to do. Let Jill do hers. It goes a long way with the citizens who follow such things to know that the money is being watched closely and that the system of checks and balances we have within our government is working. If you're given too much financial latitude, there will always be a sector of the public who is suspicious that some shenanigans are going on with their money. And they should be suspicious. Because even if it isn't happening, the possibility that it could happen is enough for your credibility to be questioned. That makes getting reelected that much more difficult. Doesn't it?

Just as I was about to post this, this showed up on my facebook feed:

WSAZ NewsChannel 3

Mason County Sheriff David Anthony files for re-election after being indicted earlier this month for misuse of gov't funds and wanton endangerment. Even though it's innocent until proven guilty, can he overcome the court of public opinion? Details at 5:30 and 6!

So That Others May Shop...

Have we really gotten to be that self-centered?

When I was a kid, (eyeball roll), almost everything was closed on Sundays and holidays. There were, and still are some, 'blue laws'. Blue laws prohibit certain activities on Sundays. Some time in the late 70's, some of these bans were lifted and various establishments started to conduct business on Sundays and holidays. All for the sake of the almighty dollar.

Sunday used to be reserved for family. It was a day of rest. We went to church in the morning and gathered with family the rest of the day. We went to our grandparent's house where we had the opportunity to play with our cousins while the adults talked about whatever adults talked about. That's why I know my cousins. It's why I know cousins of cousins. Even after our grandparents passed, we still got together on Sunday's with family. We did the same thing for holidays.

While I don't like laws that try to dictate morality, they generally don't work anyway, I do think that the easing of blue laws gave us an excuse to start ignoring an extremely important aspect of our life - family.

Instead of spending the day breaking bread with family, we haul our kids to yet another activity, soccer, baseball, whatever. Sunday has become a day to catch up on those things we didn't get done during the week. Sunday has become just another day of the week of running errands. When did it become ok to schedule ballgames on Sunday anyway? I know what my mother would have said. "Too bad. You'll just have to miss this game."

But we've gone even a step further now. Again, for the sake of the almighty dollar, we have stores who are going to open their doors for shoppers on Thanksgiving Day to get in a couple of extra hours of Christmas shopping. Really?

That means that some poor souls have to forfeit their Thanksgiving with their families so the self-centered, in-debt-up-to-their-eyeballs, I-just-can't-get-it-done-without-these-couple-of-extra-hours, people can get a 'great deal'. Give me a break. Can't you wait until a respectable hour on Friday? Isn't 6 am Friday early enough to start your Christmas shopping?

The Santa Claus magic should have gone away when you became an adult. There's nothing wrong with kids, even teenagers, thinking, on Christmas morning, that all that stuff magically appeared overnight with the help of little elves. But do you realize that doesn't happen in the stores? Someone has to be there to stock and restock the shelves. Someone has to ring up your order so you can run that over-used credit card through the little machine. Someone has to watch the mob come through the door and be there to help your fellow shopper up when you run them over trying to beat them to the coveted item the marketers said you just have to buy or life just won't go on.

All that takes a lot of someones. Those someones have to be at work well before the doors of the store open to you. Those someones are going to try and cram in a quick Thanksgiving and get some sleep before heading off to work.

Yes. I know there are a lot of people who work holidays. I was one of them. There are jobs where it is critical for people to work the holidays, hospitals, fire and police departments to name a few. And others not so critical. But can we keep it to a minimum? Must we add retail stores?

I've never been shopping on black Friday and really don't understand the hysteria. There's always been more than enough things in the store to buy in the middle of December and somehow guys manage to find stuff on Christmas Eve. Besides, internet shopping means I can have a cup of coffee in hand while wearing sweats and I'm not infringing on someone else's family time no matter when I want to do my shopping.

So this year, when I venture out to the brick and mortars, it will be Sears or JCPenny's which are resisting this ridiculous trend, somewhat. And there's always the little mom and pop places that usually have incredible customer service. And if for some really weird reason I find the shelves empty at those places because I didn't show up in time, there's always the orange, peppermint stick, and nuts as a back up. Oh, and the turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade noodles, pies....

.....and we'll eat too much and talk about how we didn't miss out on Black Thursday over a game of Euchre.

Recycling Recycling

It seems the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District is out of compliance with Ohio EPA. Still. And the district says they need more money in order to fix this. There's a shocker. But there's something smelly about this whole thing and it isn't the trash.

It all started over two decades ago with HB 592...

1988 - HB 592 was passed that created solid waste districts in the state because we weren't recycling enough and the landfills were filling up. The Ohio EPA gets to oversee the districts and tell them how to do things. Problem #1. Since it is a government entity, tax dollars pay for it. Problem #2.

In 2009, the Athens-Hocking Solid Waste District said they needed more money. To generate this money, they proposed a 'fee' of $3/ton of waste. A tax by any other name is still a tax. Call it a fee if it makes you feel better but it's still a tax. This tax would be levied on the trash haulers and will of course be passed on to their customers with rate increases.

But the tax must be approved by the county commissioners for each county, city council of the largest city in each county, and legislative authorities representing a combined population of at least 60 percent of the total population in each county. Athens loves paying taxes but the great people of Hocking County evidently do not. Logan City Council wouldn't pass it and neither would the county commissioners. It seems they had questions that were either not answered or were answered inadequately. Thank you to the elected officials in Hocking County for not playing the part of ostrich.

After a few months, the district recycled their plan to implement the $3 fee. Well, that is their business. Sort of. Hocking County again to the rescue. Questions gone unanswered concerning the finances of the district kept the Hocking County elected officials from approving the added tax.

Now Athens wants to take their ball and go home. The landfill used by the two counties is in Athens County. It's really close to the Athens/Hocking line though and wouldn't surprise me if some of it were located in Hocking County. Athens wants to break up with Hocking. The problem is that in order for a solid waste district to be a single county, that county must have a population of 100,000. Neither county meets that requirement and the Ohio EPA would have to approve the split. Hocking County would be left high and dry according to the threats made by the Athens County Commissioners. There's other stuff to it within the original bill that I am having a difficult time making heads or tails out of because it involves government speak and I'm not fluent in idiot.

The Ohio EPA says the Athens-Hocking District is not in compliance. I'm not sure exactly what that means but based on various newspaper articles dating back to February of 2010, we need to recycle more or maybe we need to generate more trash. I'm not sure. They want people to recycle but the county gets more money if we generate more trash. Since it's more money the county wants, do they want us to generate more trash? But the EPA says recycle.... makes my head spin....

The state says there is a partnership between public and private entities but at least a few of the private trash haulers don't exactly see it that way. They see it as the public side is pushing the private side out of business by causing the private haulers to raise rates. I can tell you that we pay almost twice as much out here in the county as what the people in the city pay using the county trash haulers. I'm pretty sure subsidies are involved. When the private trash haulers go to the landfill, they pay a fee to dump the trash. The county gets this fee. That's a subsidy, right?

But there's still the compliance problem. I'm not sure how the $3 tax will fix that unless it will be used to pay the EPA to look the other way. According to one of the private haulers, one way for the district to come into compliance is to add a handful of drop locations for recyclables in each county. Evidently there isn't enough participation and that's suppose to encourage it. In the same article from The Athens News:

He (the private hauler) said that officials often say that they are in the trash business because recycling doesn't pay for itself and they need the funds to pay for recycling.

Which is backed up on collegegreenmag.com:

“There’s not big money in recycling… so the government does it,” said Roger Bail, operations coordinator for the Athens-Hocking Waste District. “There’s money in trash.”

So they're trying to get more people to recycle more. We used to recycle stuff all the time. Pop and milk came in glass bottles. We took empty bottles to the store and got a deposit back. Now they come in throw away plastic. I like glass. And we drank water that came from the tap. You would fill a glass with water and wash the glass afterward to reuse it. Now we insist on carrying around plastic water bottles that end up in the landfill. But I'm sure the government had a hand in the glass bottles going away - probably some concern about hygiene. So the answer to that is now creating problems. Maybe if the government would stop trying to regulate everything, thus tying our hands, we wouldn't have either problem. We wouldn't be producing as much trash and would be recycling. Our trash haulers could make a living without raising rates to the point that many lower income families do not purchase the service to have their trash hauled away creating a bigger illegal dumping problem that the county also complains about.

Where and when will the madness stop?

Oh the Irony - Voting No on Issue 2

I wonder if anyone else noticed the irony on the front page of The Athens Messenger yesterday?

Since it was the day after election day, they naturally had the election results on the front page with the headline, "Voters reject union limits". The focus was the rejection of SB5 with an 80% no vote in Athens County on Issue 2.

Any time the topic of Issue 2 came up in conversation, face-to-face or on facebook, I mostly bit my tongue. Once I asked "Did you read the bill?", and got the usual response of "No" or "I read some of it", it was only a baby step to the realization that there was no way to try and convince someone who was so willing to eat the union garbage to vote Yes on Issue 2. They had made up their minds and there was no changing it.

Of course, one of the arguments to vote Yes was the jobs that might be saved. To my way of thinking, it came down to: Do you want more jobs or more money for fewer jobs? The 'no' crowd evidently wanted more money.

Ok. Back to the newspaper. At the bottom of the front page was a small article: "Looking like county will have fewer workers in 2012". It went on to explain the budget woes and how there were likely going to be layoffs or staff cuts by attrition in various county agencies. An article in today's paper went into a bit more detail and included whining from the heads of departments about how they have no where else to cut their budget and the rest of the typical resistance to the commissioners telling them the money just isn't there. And of course, Sheriff Pat Kelly didn't pass up the opportunity to campaign for his re-election.

If I were a commissioner, which will never happen because I'm just way too conservative for this county, I wouldn't be able to resist an appropriate or inappropriate comeback, depending on which side of the aisle you're on, of: "Well, maybe you should have endorsed Issue 2."

So Issue 2 goes down in flames while our local government department heads complain about budget cuts. I don't want to give credit to the death of SB5 as the reason just yet, but I will next year.

But not being one to always see the glass as half empty, I did find a positive way to look at things. Those of us who love to follow the Constitution to the letter and expect our elected officials to do the same, we do want less government, right? Well, we'll be getting it in 2012 in Athens County.

Athens is No 1 on Issues 2 and 3

Athens County has the distinction of placing first in the state on Issue 2 AND Issue 3. It's not something I'm proud of but I'm sure there are a fair number of liberals who would be if they knew how to get this information. But the reality is they don't really care once the election is over and things mostly went their way.

I have tried to explain to people who are not from Athens County just how liberal it is here. They think they know and they say they know but they really don't know the extent of it. We have Ohio University and I think for most people it stops there when they try to calculate the liberalness of the area. But they fail to include the non-student population and the non-OU affiliated people.

Now, however, I have something concrete to use to point out the level of liberalness.

Issue 3 was the healthcare amendment to nix Obamacare. It passed in all 88 counties and statewide it was 65.63% to 34.37%. If you list the counties according to percentages with the lowest percentage in the first position, Athens County is right there in the big number one spot. It passed 52.76% to 47.24%. The next county had issue 3 passing with almost 56% of the votes. So, we're number one with the lowest percentage of yes votes on Issue 3.

Issue 2 was the big repeal SB5 thing. Again, all 88 counties voted in unison against issue 2 and again Athens County places first. Statewide, the percentages were 38.67% to 61.33%. Now, put the highest percentage of  'no' votes in the first position and again you'll find......

.....YES!!! Athens County with a.... get this....

.....19.65% to 80.35%!!!!! Now that's a big gap.

I bet I can identify every single one of the 3070 people who voted yes on Issue 2.

So, when someone wants to talk to me about trying to convince the people of Athens to vote for the more conservative candidate or vote more conservatively on an issue, and I tell them I'll do what I can and they think I'm giving them the brush-off, which I usually am, I have these facts to use to help illustrate the liberalness of the county.

To Frack or Not To Frack

When I was reading the paper today, I got an idea about how to solve the fuss between the fracking camp and the no-fracking camp, the solar people and the drill, baby, drill people.

There was an article about how the City of Athens is thinking about passing legislation against hydraulic fracturing. It seems they want to be like Pittsburgh, which I think is stupid. It's stupid that Athens wants to be like Pittsburgh and it's stupid that Pittsburgh passed legislation that there will be no fracking in the city. I could be wrong but I think there has to be wells drilled for oil and gas before any of that fracking can take place. The last time I was in Pittsburgh, Point State Park was about the only place where there was room for a well and even I would be against that.

So here's my idea. Those of us who want to use coal to feed our power plants will get our electric from those plants, and those who want to use solar can go ahead and get their power from the solar fed power plants. Sign up for whichever you prefer and the electric company will bill you accordingly. Then, the electric company can determine how many of each kind of plant they need to supply the respective demands. That way, those of us who like to employ coalminers can pay $.04/kwh and the others can pay $25/kwh. No government subsidies, pay for what you use from the source you use it and everybody is happy.

As for the oil and gas, if you don't want fracking, fine by me. Just don't use oil and gas and you're good to go. Since I'm a drill, baby, drill sort, I'll have oil and gas options available for me to use.

Before you say my drilling will infringe on your access to 'clean' water that you claim fracking threatens - which it doesn't. Have you seen how deep they go? - you stay in town where there are no drilling rigs and I'll live out here amongst them. You're gonna want to stay close to town anyway since your electric car, powered with solar generated electricity, doesn't actually go very far between charges. Now, when it's time to replace that battery in a few years and it costs you a couple of grand and you need to dispose of the old battery, well, you figure it out.

And while we're on the subject of cars, you're going to have to make them out of something besides the plastic that is currently used. Plastic is made using oil. Maybe you could make them out of hemp. And bikes? Do you have any idea how much electric, oil, and coal the steel mills use to process metals?

Now, something else the EPA lovers might want to keep in mind about solar power. It doesn't always work. If the sun isn't shinning, you're running on battery. These last couple of weeks have been pretty cloudy here in Ohio and I imagine trying to keep up with demand during times like this will be kind of tough for the solar power plants. Winters get cold and summers get hot. And when the snow is flying and the sun hasn't been seen for awhile, you might want to make sure you have thermal underwear. Maybe you'll eventually be able to develop dependable batteries that last longer than the ones available now. I know my cell battery and computer battery are forever needing charged. They're power hogs. But then again, your curly fry lights use very little power so you should be able to see ok for the first few hours.

I'm sure there are some details that need to be worked out yet but that's the gist of it.

How to Overturn Your Own Bill

This just irritates me to the nth degree. And SB5 just got overturned by the voters in November.

The Ohio legislators introduced and passed SB5 using the economic issues facing the state as the reason for now being the time to get a handle on things. I liked it because it actually puts negotiations back at the local level which usually increases options. But the unions and many of the members perceive SB5 as an attack on their livelihood. I can see where they might think that. The merit pay part was probably what scared many and the unions have convinced their members that the state legislature doesn't think very highly of their worth to society. It's a scare tactic and I didn't buy it but this latest sure does make it difficult to defend SB5.

So, what did our legislators go and do? They gave double digit, in most cases, pay raises to staffers!!! What the .....?

According to 10TV:

Niehaus said he based his decision on market forces. “I thought it was important to protect the most senior members of my staff,” Niehaus said.

He said he was worried he would lose key staffers to other state agencies or private businesses if he did not pay them more.

One of the supposed results of SB5 was a mass exodus of public employees into their retirement systems, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch back in June. I don't know how you would figure out what that particular statistic might actually be, but I can tell you that I know many people who are retiring earlier based on fear that was created by SB5.

So let me see if I get this right. It's ok for local governments to loose the experienced employees but it's not ok for the state senate to loose experienced employees. Both are public employees paid by the taxpayers. Hmmmm. Not sure I see what the diff is.

From my perspective, I'd rather see less experienced staffers, including legislators, but term limits fixed that, right? No. Not really. They just jump from place to place now.

But where the difference does lie is in the dollars. A 3% raise to the normal public employee, i.e. cop, firefighter, teacher, state worker, is one thing since it's based on a salary around 50-75K give or take. But that isn't where we are when it comes to the staffers who got as high as a 37% hike. We're talking about increases in pay on salaries that reach six figures in many cases. I don't generally begrudge anyone their salary but I fail to see how any public employee is worth 6 figures in this economic climate.

Another argument in favor of SB5 was to decrease the size of government. I'm afraid this isn't a decrease in government. Nope. Not in my book. If you need so many staffers that to keep the good ones cost this much, government is waaaay too big. You're legislating waaaay too much. Introducing waaaaay too many bills. And I've read them. Some of them are downright asinine.

So while the rest of us are told to tighten our belts and the rank and file public employees are told you need to help contribute to the cause, the staffers at the state house are given raises.

Well, I see where your loyalties lie, Republican Senate President Tom Niehaus. It certainly isn't with J. Q. Taxpayer. And if you think that it's okay just because you got a couple of the D's to sign on to this scheme, let me enlighten you. They did it because this is what will sink the final nail in the coffin of SB5.

Tax Payers Have a Friend in Athens County

A great big thank you to the Athens County Auditor, Jill Thompson, and the rest of the budget commission for cutting the millage on two county agencies thus saving the taxpayers some cash - over a million dollars worth.

For 2012, there will be a levy reduction of .5 mill for The Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Athens County Children Services will be reduced by one mill.

Why? Because they're hording money at a time when everyone else is tightening their belts and making due.

The Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities had 5.26 million dollars in extra cash at the end of 2010. Carryover for each of the previous 5 years was also in excess of 5 million dollars. Plus, there were generous pay raises every year including 5% for each of the past 2 years and as high as 6.65% in 2007. All the while having 300 people on waiting lists needing their services. What the heck is going on here?

Athens County Children Services had 5.1 million dollars in extra cash at the end of 2010 increasing their carryover gradually over the past 5 years. They have now reached almost 76% of their annual expenditures in carryover.

I understand having some carryover but I think over 5 million dollars worth for each agency is a weeeee bit excessive.

But wait, there's more. Last November, both of these agencies had tax levies on the ballot that were approved by the voters. How dumb are we? Well, I'm not but I was in the minority on those issues as both levies passed easily. One thing that is pretty certain in this county is that county-wide levies usually pass no matter what. No one questioned if either agency needed more money. No one ever questions any of them why they need more money. They just vote for the levy because..... well, there are several reasons that will have to wait for another post but one of them is because the various agencies just had the nerve to ask.

And now that they've had their budgets challenged, I suppose these two agencies will go on a major spending spree so they can ask the voters for more money or at least get the millage back they just lost. And I'd bet the other county tax-funded agencies will make sure they don't have very much carry over lest they face the same fate. And that's a sad state of affairs but unfortunately how things work in government. To translate: Spend it or you loose it. Spend it so you can get more.

At least in 2012 I get to keep a couple of extra bucks of my money. It won't be a lot, enough for maybe a nice dinner for two. But it's something. And I can't do much about voters being so willing to raise my taxes, but at least I know that someone in this county is watching and has the nerve to ask the recipients why they need so much spare change at the end of each year.

The First Casualty

The first one to go is a deputy. He's not exactly gone. Just demoted from deputy to transport officer. He can still arrest people. He just can't answer the phone.

On July 19th, when Mark Sullivan's wife called the sheriff's office to complain about her husband's abuse, she included this part about his having marijuana. The officer she was speaking to, Randy Secoy, told her “...to put it all in a grocery bag and bring it to the sheriff's office.” When she asked about the ones still growing, he told her to “just grab a hold of them or call the office and have somebody come out.

Isn't that what she was doing? Calling the sheriff to report a crime and this is how they handle it? A crime of this nature involving any other person, would be classified a major event from the Big, Bad, Drug Task force, aka Athens County Sheriff's Department. Had this been anyone else calling, it would have been plastered all over the sheriff's facebook page touting about how big of a bust they made and we have them behind bars and you're safe from the boogeyman now.

But that's not what happened. An Athens County Commissioner, Mark Sullivan, was the one who was being accused of committing a crime. His wife was reporting it and it didn't warrant even a house call by the deputy. Maybe he was busy updating his facebook page. Or maybe it was because the involved parties included an Athens County Commissioner and his wife. What she got in response was the proverbial take two aspirin and call me in the morning. In other words, - I really don't want to deal with this. Could you call back when someone else is on duty so they can deal with it?

It took three weeks for this particular incident to make it to the public and that's only because someone called the local media anonymously. The Athens Messenger got the run-around when they requested the reports and then what they did get was redacted. A request was made to the state attorney general's office for a special prosecutor but not until after The Messenger made it a headline.

Now a couple of more weeks have passed and the first casualty has been named. Why it has taken Sheriff Kelly so long to conduct an internal investigation and take action is beyond me. I can't imagine it would have taken me much longer than the amount of time it took for me to listen to the taped call WHILE Deputy Secoy was sitting in front of me the next morning. It's not like the sheriff didn't have access to the 911 tapes. Listening to the recorded call should have been enough to at least put Deputy Secoy on leave if not outright fired. Maybe I'm just impatient and the wheels of justice turn to slow for my taste.

So now Deputy, ahem, Transport Officer Secoy has been demoted and there's this last chance agreement. Last chance for what? He'll be on probation until next August and if he does something stupid, he could be fired. What could you possibly do transporting prisoners? Oh, I suppose you could possibly taser one unnecessarily or do we only threaten 10-year old students with that? Yes. Yes we do. But that incident got him 3 days suspension and some class time in conflict resolution and a class on how to balance his personal and professional life, as reported in The Athens Messenger. Now I'm wondering if they have those classes in conjunction with the Domestic Violence Intervention Program that Mark Sullivan was supposed to attend. Is there a pattern starting to develop?

Sheriff Kelly as quoted in The Messenger:

“Randy Secoy is a good person. Randy Secoy has made mistakes and we've corrected those. We've sent Randy to training and counseling. If that proper training doesn't work, then I have to move forward and that's what we've done with Secoy.”

Okay. But Sheriff. You said that the last reprimand had no bearing on your decision to demote Secoy over this incident. If that's true, then those classes can't be included as 'time served'.

But I'm thinking there may be a bit more to this story that has yet to be revealed.

How much is the sheriff trying to cover his own butt now because he didn't deal with all this the next morning? You know Mark was all the talk around the water cooler for at least the next two or three shifts.

Who was the supervisor on duty that night if it wasn't Secoy? And if it was Secoy, why didn't he cover his own rear and handle the call like they would any other one? They get plenty of practice around here handling drug calls. It should have been relatively standard.

Why would responding to a complaint by the wife of an elected county official be any different than anyone else? I can think of a few reasons.

So, Secoy is demoted and on probation and Sullivan is still a county commissioner.

And one more question, for now:

If someone breaks into my house and I shoot them dead and call the sheriff's department to report the break-in, do you suppose they'll tell me to put 'em in a bag and bring 'em in?

Grade Card Time

The school district report cards are out, for what they're worth.

I'll admit right up front that I have no idea the purpose of these reports. In looking at the reports for the five districts in Athens County, as well as "The Guide to Ohio's Accountability System", all I can garner is that these report cards are pretty much based on how well the kids in a given district can take those stupid proficiency tests. And if you don't yet realize that the teachers now have to 'teach to the test', you likely haven't been paying attention.

I like most teachers and they have a tough job at times. I don't know how well I'd put up with some kids and their parents. I suppose I would eventually learn how to be more tactful if I had to but some parents just need to hear the truth straight out about how their little Johnny is a royal pain in the rear in class. But what would be worse for me is having to deal with teaching so the kids could pass this goofy, color in the circle with a number 2 pencil, stress-inducing test that was developed by over-educated morons.

Are the high school graduates of today any smarter then previous generations because they know how to pass this test? My grandparents, who didn't go beyond the eighth grade, could do figures in their heads. I generally need to use paper and pencil. My kids, however, wouldn't understand the need to have either of those skills because you have a calculator on your phone, for cryin' out loud. But at least they can make change, unlike the college grad with the liberal arts degree who gives you a blank stare if the power blinks out at a most inoportune time. Would you like fries with that?

I would think teachers would be a bit ticked off with all this testing. After spending four or five years getting a degree to presumably learn how to teach, develop lesson plans, and evaluate the needs of students, they toss them in a classroom full of kids who aren't prepared because they're too busy texting their friends on their cell phones. Then they're told exactly what material must be covered because we have to get these kids to pass this test so we can get 'No Child Left Behind' money from the feds and so some administrators can have bragging rights. A teacher's job isn't so much teaching as it is creating little robots who have to learn to stay in the lines when they're coloring in the little bubbles. On top of that, they have to go back to college to get the next level degree so we can be sure they still know how to color within the lines themselves.

There are plenty of issues within our education system and these tests are only a part of the problem. I don't have a problem with testing kids to measure their progress as they make their way from grade to grade. Bean counters like to count beans, afterall. What I have a problem with is putting so much emphasis on them that they become the focus rather than a tool to measure. Couldn't we just look at the overall scores and determine where the strengths and weaknesses lie within a district and deal with it? Must so much emphasis be placed on testing that school districts learn how to circumvent the system in order to increase their own scoring?

It's been reported that more and more college freshmen are not ready for collge level classes and have to take remedial classes. We are either forcing kids into college who aren't college material or these tests are giving the kids the idea that once they pass the test to graduate, they're good to go and plenty smart enough. How can our schools be rated excellent yet the colleges are saying you aren't sending us even average students?

Kids are no longer being taught how to learn. They aren't taught how to problem solve. They're taught to identify the mostly likely correct answer on a multiple choice test and color. Which is why the kid behind the fast food counter can't make change without the aid of the cash register computer. “It wasn't on the test.”

Ohio House Bill 191

House Bill 191:

To amend sections 2151.011, 3306.01, 3313.48, 3313.533, 3313.62, 3314.03, 3317.01, 3321.05, and 3326.11; to enact new section 3313.481 and section 3313.621; and to repeal sections 3313.481 and 3313.482 of the Revised Code to establish a minimum school year for school districts, STEM schools, and chartered nonpublic schools based on hours, rather than days, of instruction and to prohibit public schools from being open for instruction prior to Labor Day or after Memorial Day except in specified circumstances.

The Ohio state legislature is wanting to change a few things about the school schedules. If there is one thing that legislators at the state and federal level can do, it's complicate things.

When I was a kid, we didn't start school until the Tuesday following Labor Day. We were never out before the first week of June. One year it was June 30th. There was no such thing as calamity days. If we missed a day because of snow, a day was added at the end of the school year. We had the standard holidays off including the first day of buck season. Teacher in-service days, or whatever they're calling them now, were nonexistent.

As it stands, schools are credited as having been in session for a day if the day is not shortened by more than two hours. They are wanting to change this to be figured on an hourly basis rather than a daily basis. I sort of like this idea. So rather than schools having to be in session for 182 days, they have to meet an hourly requirement of 1,050 hours for grades 7 through 12, and 960 hours for grade school. I think this gives the local school districts more latitude with scheduling. If they had time to make up, they could opt to lengthen the school day for a certain number of day, for example. A school district might choose a longer school day for four days/week rather than shorter days five days/week. A lot of options could open up with this part of the proposed bill.

On the other hand, they are also wanting to limit the school year to between Labor Day and Memorial Day. I have no idea what they are thinking on this part. This takes options away from the schools. I could sort of understand if they used one or the other. If you start before Labor Day, you must be out before Memorial Day but if you start after Labor Day, you can finish the school year after Memorial Day. Something to that effect. But why even bother with that? Let the schools set their individual schedules according to their needs. What's wrong with starting in mid-August, having three weeks off for Christmas break and ending the first week of June? But then I'd like to see year round school schedules become more of the norm.

Wouldn't it be easier if the state just said: You have to provide 1,050 hours of instruction time for the students. You have between July 1 and June 30 to work it out as your district sees fit. One part of this bill seems to counteract the other part of this bill. In one section, the state says you can have more flexibility with scheduling your school year, and another section takes it back away. Sheeeeeesh.

This bill hasn't really gone anywhere yet. It's still in committee. But I did send an email to Rep. Andrew Thompson, 93rd. Even though Mr. Thompson is not my representative, his name is on the bill. I've also met Mr. Thompson and have seen him several times at various events where he has addressed the public and answered questions or otherwise made himself available to his constituents. One of the good guys from my perspective. Anyway, he did email me back and said he'd take my points back to the sponsors of the bill. For the record, I believe he will do what he says.

The bottom line is, the local school districts should be able to set their own schedule based on the needs of their students. Any legislation at the state level should be only to assist local school districts rather than restrict them and otherwise make educating our kids more difficult.

What Pot? Oh, That's Just Basil

Some days I can do nothing more than shake my head at the happenings in the Athens County Commissioners Office. Well, not there exactly but at one commissioner in particular. Two days after a guilty plea for a reduced charge from a domestic violence incident, Mark Sullivan's wife called the sheriff's office again. She requested and received a protection order.

But it's what wasn't reported on that becomes interesting. When Marks' wife called that day, she also told them there were marijuana plants and seeds at the residence. No arrests were made at that time despite finding 39 plants.

Why? Had that been anyone else, the sheriff's department would have made a 'Big Bust' and it would have been plastered all over facebook like this:

Sheriff Pat Kelly
Glenn Fraley II Bowman Rd, Coolville was arrested last night after the NET executed a search warrant on his residence and seized a grow operation. Bowman was taken to SEORJ for possession with juvenile present.
July 27 at 10:43am

Not only did that not happen but nothing else happened either. It was kept quiet and hush hush until someone anonymously called The Athens Messenger three weeks later.

So, The Messenger reporter made a public records request and whatdoyaknow, they got a bit of the good ole boy run around. First, they contacted the sheriff's office. But Pat Kelly must think of Mark as a better friend than Keller Blackburn because he sent them to the prosecutor's office for the records. But Keller volleyed them back to the sheriff's office. When The Messenger finally got a copy of the report, it was redacted and the narrative part was completely omitted. What's up with that? Of course the claim is being made it's an open investigation. Whatever.

But wait! The Messenger kicked it up a notch. I'm actually quite impressed with them today. Not only did they put the almost month old news on the front page above the fold with a picture and looong article, the editor, went after Mark on the editorial page asking him to step down. Yes, that's right. The historically left-leaning local media is asking for the resignation of a D. They have been inching their way to the right over the last couple of years so maybe there is hope for them yet.

Coincidentally, our ambitious prosecutor and Nelsonville native, Keller Blackburn, requested a special prosecutor be appointed by the Ohio Attorney General's Office. Wow! How timely. It only took three weeks!

So, let's review. county commissioner pleads guilty to a reduced domestic violence charge, then his wife calls the sheriff two days later to report a similar incident and adds the pot plants and seeds in there for icing. She also adds that his kids have seen him transporting the pot for really thick icing. His friends, the sheriff and prosecutor, try to sweep it under the rug and ignore it. But there's always someone looking to ruin the party and calls the media. Bummer.

Now, both the commissioner and his wife are denying everything. They both say the dope isn't Mark's. It's the neighbor's. The stuff drying up there in the attic? Oh that's just basil.

Again, I, as a taxpayer, ask that this commissioner step down. The editor of The Messenger is asking as well. Maybe some others will also ask. Mark's personal life is a mess and at the very least he needs to get it back in order. The kids are involved and they need to be protected. Is someone looking out for them? The county commissioner's webpage includes as part of their responsibility:

Protecting children. Stabilizing families. Making welfare reform work.

County Commissioners now have the lead responsibility for delivering the bulk of human service that adults and children receive from government, and doing so with limited funding from Columbus and Washington D.C. In particular, this means making welfare reform work.

Counties now must meet state-set benchmarks for moving unemployed residents into jobs. Welfare reform also means subsidizing child care and health care for recipients, even after they find jobs. All of this comes in addition to counties� ongoing responsibility for overseeing and funding alcohol, drug abuse and mental health services, enforcing child support orders, protecting abused and neglected children, and administering food stamps.

Can a person hold a position responsible for the above, be personally violating the above, and still be effective?

To those on Capital Hill Who Don't Have a Clue About Money Management

Speaker Boehner et. al.:

A couple of things I wish someone would say to those of you on capital hill:

Stop with the bipartisan comments. I don't care if it's bipartisan, tripartisan, nonpartisan, or whatever. In my circles there's bye-partisan (for those of you who refuse to get it), and try-partisan (those 22 who are trying to convince you where you are WRONG!)

And I'm really tired of you all saying that if the debt limit isn't raised, there will be some sort of financial Armageddon.

When was the last time you paid your personal bills? I mean where you sat down and wrote out checks or at least filled in the blanks on your banks' website? I don't mean to insinuate that you don't pay your bills, just that someone else does it for you - an accountant or someone? Did you even know about those bills? I know some of you have a little trouble with paying your taxes that you insist on raising for those of us who DO pay our taxes and maybe some of you have trouble having your personal bills paid. Whatever. The problem here is you're buying things we don't approve. The "we" being the taxpayers supplying the cash flow.

Because most of you seem to be so financially retarded, let me explain how this stuff works. YOU - the federal government - have managed to buy way too many big screen tvs, superbowl tickets, beer, yachts, ballgowns, hosted too many expensive receptions, etc.... (dept of education, fannie, freddie, dept of ag, grants to study really stupid things, on and on and on) with those plastic cards you carry in your wallets. You had friends to impress (ignorant voters who expect to get some financial gain in exchange for them voting for you). Now, you're trying to continue to use your plastic but the credit just isn't there any more. You've maxed out on your credit cards. You still have friends to impress though. If you stop using your credit cards and start paying more than the minimum, you will eventually get those bills paid off but it does take a bit of discipline which you are sorely lacking. Those friends you feel you need to impress are not friends.

But alas, you are trying to convince the credit card company that you need your credit limit raised or you won't pay your bill. Do you know what happens in real life if you try that? They laugh at you and get a bit nasty sometimes and tell you too bad, pay your credit card bill. In real life, they may even lower your limit, which is really what is warranted in your case.

The debt ceiling (credit card limit) does not need to be raised in order for you to pay your obligations. You just pay them. You also need to cut spending in other areas and quit buying all those unnecessary things you think you want.

Most of us get beyond this during our 20's when we discover all those things we thought we needed yesterday, we really don't need after all and in some cases don't even want. Not you though.

So, raising the debt ceiling DOES NOT mean you will default on your obligations. Our tax dollars come to you every month like clockwork. Why? because we, the working taxpayers, have no choice. It is taken out of our paychecks automatically. Defaulting on your bills is a conscious effort. You make the choice to not pay them. It has nothing to do with running out of credit. Running out of credit means you have spent beyond what the creditor thinks you can pay back. I really don't care what Moody's thinks. So what if they lower our credit rating for now. It's gonna happen anyway. If you pay the bills and cut spending, you'll prove them wrong and the credit rating goes back up. Whoop de do.

Standing up there stomping your foot acting like a two-year old isn't going to get you anywhere. Take back to the store those things that still have tags on them (quit funding those stupid programs), have a yard sale (quit funding more stupid programs), and listen to those who know how to really tighten a belt. Yes, it's gonna hurt like hell but in the long run, it's the right thing to do.

Will Athens County Commissioner See Jail Time?

An update to a previous post has been dropped in my lap when I read today's paper.

My last post, Athens County Commissioner has Issues, pertained to the criminal problems of one of our commissioners, Mark Sullivan. I thought the proper thing for him to do was resign from his position but he evidently had no inclination to do the proper thing.

Second verse, same as the first.

Two days after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor of disorderly conduct for a domestic violence incident, he did it again. Oops. But he's been through so much.

His wife filed for and was granted a temporary protection order against him and he has taken up residence somewhere in Nelsonville. Allegedly, Mr. Sullivan "Came at me, threw me in corner of kitchen, knocking glasses (off), physically pushing me and bruising me." She also claims he threatened to kill her. As reported in The Athens Messenger.

The terms of his last court appearance resulted in 30 days in jail, suspended as long as he doesn't re-offend for two years, pay a $250 fine and 25 hours of community service, to attend the Domestic Violence Intervention Program and alcohol/drug evaluations. Eleven days ago I wondered if the re-offend part meant generally or just pertaining to his wife. I guess it doesn't matter now. He re-offended his wife. I don't know how much of the other terms he had completed during those two days.

The day before this latest alleged incident, Mark was on a local radio program and about halfway through the interview, the topic of his legal problem was brought up. During the interview he talked about how they had gotten counseling and all was right with their world. Blah, blah, blah.

So, again I ask: "Will Mark Sullivan resign as county commissioner?" Probably not. "Will he see the inside of a jail cell?" Probably not.

At least in this county, domestic violence is treated in a very casual manner. For that matter, pretty much all crimes are treated rather casually around here. But it seems, if you are going to beat the hell out of someone, make sure it's your spouse. The sentence is oh so much lighter and you can go back and beat up your spouse again for getting you into trouble.

On August 1, Mark Sullivan is scheduled to appear in court yet again. This time to deal with the protection order. There is a definite pattern of behavior. At what point do the waving red flags get attention?

According to the article on The Athens Messenger's website, Mr. Sullivan is denying the allegations of July 14th. Additionally, he's claiming his wife has called him and has shown up at his current residence and assaulted him. He called the Nelsonville PD and is now thinking about filing for a protection order against her so he and the kids can move back to Millfield.

Both sides have claimed various incidents have occurred in front of the kids. I don't know how old the kids are but I assume they are under the age of 18. Shouldn't children's services be involved by now?

As a side note, the prosecutor, sheriff, and Mr. Sullivan are all from the big city of Nelsonville. I'm just sayin'.

Athens County Commissioner has issues

Only in Athens.

Athens County Commissioner, Mark Sullivan, pleaded guilty Tuesday to a misdemeanor of disorderly conduct. For that he got 30 days in jail, suspended as long as he doesn't re-offend for two years. I'm not sure if that means he has to completely stay out of trouble or if it just refers to hitting his wife. He also gets to pay a $250 fine and 25 hours of community service. Additionally, he gets to attend the Domestic Violence Intervention Program and alcohol/drug evaluations.

I'm wondering, is he going to have time to do this and continue serving as county commissioner? There's no indication he's going to resign.

And no one is asking him to. There are no letters to the editor and no mention of any of it on one of the local radio call-in shows where callers frequently target other elected officials.

If this would have involved our first-in-many-decades Republican commissioner, I bet people would be jumping stiff-legged demanding him to vacate the office. But he didn't do anything unbecoming an elected official because that's not like him. His values and morals are solid.

On Wednesday, Mr. Sullivan was a guest on another local radio show to talk about county issues. At about the 31 minute, 10 second mark, the host gathers up enough nerve to broach the subject. He called it a "personal mishap". Mr. Sullivan claims he would have been acquitted had he taken it to trial. But he didn't because he didn't want to put his children or his wife through it. I guess it's okay to have your children know that you hit your wife but it's not okay for them to see you defend yourself.

"Stuff happens" according to the host. He then goes on to commend him for taking steps to keep other stuff from happening I guess.

Mr. Sullivan said he would have gone to trial had they not reduced the charges and claims he only drinks 2-4 beers a month at most.

Then the host excuses the behavior by acknowledging that Mr. Sullivan had experienced some hardship.

Three minutes, 40 seconds later, Mr. Sullivan is off the hook.

And this isn't the first time Mr. Sullivan has had a run-in with the law. Back in September 2010, he was arrested in Nelsonville and in October, pleaded guilty to two counts of disorderly conduct. WSAZ covered that story as did The Columbus Dispatch.

And, the same now as then, the behavior was excused because "Mark's had a lot to deal with in his life, with the loss of his wife and his father and being a single father," Eliason said.

So, as long as he only commits crimes that are misdemeanors. Or if he does commit a more serious crime, make sure the charges are reduced to misdemeanors, he's good. As long as we are willing to excuse the behavior, it will likely continue.

He's been a county commissioner since 1998 and will in all likelihood, run again in 2012 when his current term is up. The chances he will be re-elected in this darkest blue county is pretty good. I, however, would prefer to have a county commissioner who has higher standards and lacks a criminal record that includes personal fouls.