WE WERE WRONG

After attending the reorganization of Council meeting in 2011, we thought we had witnessed the most egregiously corrupt and dishonest activity possible for this administration.  WE WERE WRONG.

We attended the Special County Council meeting this morning and the activities we witnessed are almost beyond belief. If we weren't already aware of the depth of the corruption in our County government, we would think this episode was simply a nightmare.  Unfortunately, it was all too true.

This saga began at last Monday night's Council meeting.  Purely by mistake, Steve Davis, one of DD's coalition, lost his mind, did the right thing, and voted in the taxpayers' favor by rejecting the 2012/2013 budget.  Being as this mis-step left the ball in DD's court, we fully expected ramifications for this Councilman.  Maybe he was reminded that his new courthouse was not yet built or that his other perks for supporting DD's agenda were yet unrealized.  Whatever the provocation,  Mr. Davis became aware  he had pooped and stepped backwards in it so he decided he wanted to change his vote.

The administration saw the benefit in this change of heart but they realized the mechanics of rectifying this situation would be problematic.  Standing squarely in the path of fixing this unforeseen miscue were those pesky little things called RULES.  Easy solution: LIE.

First, there is a Rule that states: "The motion to reconsider allows county council to debate whether or not to overturn a decision made at the meeting that is in progress or at the immediately preceding meeting; provided, however, that third reading to an Ordinance may be reconsidered only at the same meeting in which the third reading was adopted.  Most intelligent people translate this phrase in the spirit in which it is meant and realize it should be interpreted as meaning "if FINAL ACTION was taken on an Ordinance".  But, BC's esteemed legal council latched onto the word "adopted" and ruled that, because the Ordinance was, in fact, not passed, this Rule didn't apply.  This argument, undeniably, was a stretch. Coincidentally, one of the authors of these Rules vehemently disagrees with the legal council's opinion as to the context of this Rule.

BUT, the next Rule leaves absolutely no wiggle room.  "If and when any one member of County Council objects to any item which is brought up for discussion and which has not been placed on or specifically identified on the official agenda, then that item will not be discussed at that meeting."  DD and the rest of his band of merry men knew very well that they intended to introduce a "Motion to Reconsider" when they scheduled this meeting but the Agenda did not reflect that intention.  The only item on today's agenda was "2012-2013 Budget".  There was no mention of the "Continuing Resolution" or the "Motion to Reconsider".  These people knew they were going to perpetrate this fraud before they started the meeting.  They assumed the vague, generalized agenda item would provide them cover for any and all activity.  That has not turned out to be the case.

There is a distinct possibility that this corrupt government has pushed the envelope to the breaking point this time.  Even people with very limited knowledge of the workings of government can understand what has happened.  Even these political novices are outraged. Our phones have been ringing off the hook.  We are amazed and heartened at just how rapidly the word is spreading.  It will be interesting to see how this shakes out.