Fayette's Board of Commissioners' First Test

Well, we are now 45 days into the newly-constituted County Commission's term. So far, I have a few minor complaints but, on the whole, they haven't done anything totally offensive. But, here comes their first test; today's Planning Commission agenda was limited to a single issue . . . amendments to the Comprehensive Plan.

Ladies and Gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts; it's going to be a bumpy ride.

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mudcat's picture
Submitted by mudcat on Fri, 02/16/2007 - 4:43am.

Hold open meetings and public hearings to discuss proposed changes? Let the public speak? Vote in the open?

I guess you'll be attending and reporting back to us on what the "Bumpy ride" is all about. We'll look for your input tomorrrow - or if you can't actually attend and will rely upon the newspaper for all your information, I guess we won't hear back from you until next Wednesday.
meow


Submitted by swmbo on Sat, 02/17/2007 - 6:57pm.

What are they going to do? And why the big rush to do it? Don't we have more urgent issues in this county than the Comprehensive Plan? During the election season, a lot of people said a lot of things in the blogs about hidden agendas and nefarious intentions about the Comprehensive Plan. You were one of the most aggressive defenders of the incoming commissioners telling people to prove intentions that had not yet become manifest. I cannot help but wonder if this is the beginning of validation of those allegations. (Note that I said "allegations", lest your overly-defensive sensibilities be "pricked".)

As for your assumption that they will hold "open meetings and public hearings", clearly, you don't know how that works in this county. I challenge you to read the agendas for these allegedly-open meetings (aside from applications for new subdivisions or zoning classification changes to a particular property) and determine how you might do research or otherwise prepare for the "public discussion" that will occur. It is -- and always has been -- a shell game. Hide the ball so the idiot public can't be informed and prepared to really discuss the finer points of what's on the agenda. THAT's the "Bumpy ride" I expect will follow. It always has.

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

KraftyFla's picture
Submitted by KraftyFla on Sat, 02/17/2007 - 7:30pm.

So Zoning is a big issue to our future…..So why are we keeping a County Attorney who advocates doing everything in secret and he hasn’t won a law suit in years ?

Now is the time for us to hire a law firm that not only specializes in zoning but can actually fight their way out of a paper bag and get us a staff that can put up something defensible.


Submitted by swmbo on Sat, 02/17/2007 - 7:59pm.

As much as I have disagreed with a few things the County Attorney has done, I have to keep things honest. I'm not sure those are valid criticisms to level at the County Attorney.

The County Attorney cannot take on a law suit without the consent of the commissioners s/he serves because it could result in a judgment against the County for which the taxpayers will have to foot the bill. As with any other government lawyer, the client says, "I want to do X." The lawyer says, "You can't do that," or "You will get sued if you do that," or "If you sue, you are likely to lose." The client can say, "I don't care. Do as I say." And the government lawyer is required to carry out the order because it came from those who sign his/her paychecks.

So, it is entirely possible (although the attorney-client privilege will preclude us from ever knowing) that the County Attorney told those folks that they were fighting uphill battles and was, nonetheless, ordered to man the torpedoes. Otherwise, he/she would have been insubordinate.

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

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