Fayette Board's Mysterious Leader

I posted these same questions at This spot but the eatery chatter moved it off the page before I could get an answer. Since I never got much information about Jack Smith during the campaign, can somebody tell me about the man? Who is he? What's his claim to fame? Why is he the right guy for the Chairmanship of the Board of Commissioners? (and, for Pete's sake, please give me something more valuable than "he wasn't Linda" or "he wasn't Herb." That is largely unpersuasive and doesn't make those who selected him sound very intelligent.)

I realize that he cannot be un-elected at this juncture and I'm not complaining about the guy; I'd just like to know what qualified him to be the Grand Poobah walking in off the street.

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Why Not Jack ?
cogitoergofay's picture
Submitted by cogitoergofay on Wed, 01/10/2007 - 3:55pm.

Happy New Year SWMBO.....Though you might be a tad too liberal, we like you and your posts are good.

Why Not Jack ?

Or to state it differently, why not Citizen Jack Smith? He has an established business, community service and a good family. (Ditto for his opponent). First let me say that I am not a blind follower of Mr. Smith--- I simply give him an opportunity and a chance to serve. Though I am concerned that both he and the County Attorney are too heavily connected to the Chamber of Commerce and that there will likely be little change in the lawyer and law suit areas, I still think Mr. Smith deserves a chance.

Let's assume that Jack Smith and Linda Wells (the incumbent he beat) are both decent people. Perhaps different views but decent people. Don't you think 8 years is long enough for a commissioner ? Ms. Wells was first elected to the commission in 1992. That is a long enough time for one person. Jack Smith was elected Chairman apparently because the other commissioners believed him to be a worthy leader.

The reality though is that even if "The Incredibles" character Frozone could freeze zoning to where it is right now, we will still develop into a much larger, much busier county. A new business-like approach from Mr. Smith might be worth a try.


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cogitoergofay, thanks
Submitted by swmbo on Thu, 01/11/2007 - 12:07am.

Happy New Year to you, as well. I still laugh when people here call me liberal. My personal ethics are so conservative that people often describe me as "rigid". But that's a subject for another discussion. I really try to see all sides of an issue; I am unlikely to agree with all sides but I feel like I cannot come to a well-reasoned decision about things without knowing the arguments pro and con. So, thank you for the compliment. I learn a lot from you folks and especially you, a fellow student of logic (I assume).

I appreciate your response. I don't have a specific reason why Jack Smith should not be a commissioner. I was curious about a brand new commissioner assuming the chairmanship but it was, primarily, because I didn't have any information about him. As for the connection to the Chamber of Commerce, I see a potential benefit in that. A good portion of this county travels to another county to work. During that work day, those Fayette residents spend money in restaurants, dry cleaners, grocery stores, etc., in those other counties. Imagine how much money would be returned to this county if we had a real economic engine (beyond real estate development) to generate good jobs and keep that money right here.

As for the tenure of Jack's predecessor, I am not sure that I agree that time is the measure by which one determines the need for a change and, aside from the law suit issue, I never did understand why people were upset with Linda Wells (I am too new to the county to know all of the "back story"). But, if people thought it was time for a new perspective, I can understand that.

I like your "Frozone" reference and I agree, development is coming, whether all of us like it or not. My only concern with a "business-like approach" is that it tends to make good neighborhoods into rental communities while making the well-heeled suspicious prisoners of walled-off subdivisions and dumps the unpalatable development in those blighted, newly-rented communities. It rarely works to the benefit of the average, hard-working, good citizen who cannot afford to live in a million-dollar house in PTC.

I am giving Jack a chance; I have no reason not to. But, like most of us who encounter a new employee in the office, I just like to know who has joined the team (so to speak).

-------------------------------
If you and I are always in agreement, one of us is likely armed and dangerous.

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Correction: 12 not 8
cogitoergofay's picture
Submitted by cogitoergofay on Wed, 01/10/2007 - 4:05pm.

My co-worker just corrected me. Ms. Wells served from 93-96 and then from 99-2006.


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