WE APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE

We really did try to resist the temptation of referring to those cute little "pieces of Jack's puzzle" one more time but, alas, we failed. We promise this will be the last time.......or maybe not.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A CAPITOL IMPROVEMENT FUND

Prior to this past year, heavy equipment for BC was obtained under a lease/purchase plan. This arrangement worked very well on a number of levels, the most important of which was BC didn't have to shell out the huge full purchase price for new equipment. Then, along came Mr. Davis/ Mr. Schurlknight with a new and better idea. They thought it would be more economical to BUY the equipment outright. Here's the way the plan was supposed work. They would open up the bids to one and all. They would be fair to all bidders. There would be no opportunity in this process for fraud. In practice, as long as the piece of equipment was bright yellow and had the letters "CAT" across the nose, it met specification. This new plan worked so well that, last year we bought a model year 2008 piece of equipment at a model year 2010 price. We never said there wouldn't be some kinks in the plan.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Now, here's a bragging point if we ever saw one. BC has lost 10 times the number of jobs we have gained in the last 3 1/2 years. And, through clever negotiations, we have managed to lure an industry guru away from that bastion of economic development, Dillon County.

ESTABLISHED FUND BALANCE POLICY

This newly established policy is simple: Take all the money you can from every fund, entity, citizen, or school child to replace all the money you've already spent from the existing fund balance. Done.

STRATEGIC PLAN

This policy is even simpler: Take all the money from the fund balance plus all the money you can take from every fund, entity, citizen, or school child and spend it on things you really don't need. Well, maybe you do need the Democrats' votes so we don't know whether this ultimately qualifies as "a need"or not.

LOCAL COMPANY PREFERENCE BID PROCESS

This initiative has proven itself to be a bit dicey. Well known, dependable companies have been passed over for at least one contract in favor of "local boys". We heard this system was working really well until one stopped payment on his campaign contribution check. Oh well, the best laid plans.........

BALANCED BUDGET

Give us a break! What fool couldn't balance his budget if he had the ability, not to mention the gall, to dip into everyone else's pockets?

Oh drat, we've run out of puzzle pieces. Unfortunately for us, we still have a lot of issues left.

If you care about the future of Berkeley County, be sure to vote in the Republican Primary on June 8th. Please consider the Conservative ticket for Supervisor/Council:

Elect Henry Brown, Supervisor

Elect Terry Hardesty, County Council District 6

Re-elect Dennis Fish, County Council District 5

Re-elect Cathy Davis, County Council District 4