Blog: Grin and Bear It

I used that common expression from the title of my favorite comic strip panel, satirizing the ordinary inconsistencies and absurdities of American morals and everyday life, because, first, it captures so well in my mind the follies and fumbles of this BOC; and, secondly, explains why I’m now resigned to having to contend with more of the same till at least 2014.

Now, my willingness to do so, which runs counter to my normal optimistic nature, is borne out of the inescapable truth that nothing can be done about it, no matter how much we protest about being led, blindly, down the “primrose path” in the media and public meetings, not to mention the wasteful expenditures of our money involved. 

And added to that, is the recognition that its members won’t change the images the public has of them from hereon, which as best a I can judge are viewed this way:

• Frazier. As a religious fanatic, who comes across as a prima donna, who finds it difficult to be part of a team, and who regards other members as neophytes because of her serving earlier on a board, however poorly.

• Rothschild. The prophet of doom, who sees nothing but disaster in the future for the county’s financial welfare, and the apocalyptic ending of our form of government and citizen’s rights, who takes special delight in finding fault in every policy discussion and presentation before the board.

• Roush. The swing-vote on the board, whose never seen anything tabled that would be beneficial to business interests he didn’t like, and who will continue to straddle the fence on issues, no matter the pain he suffers from the splinters in his buttocks.

• Shoemaker. Though widely considered to be the voice of reason, and as the sole pragmatist on the board, his arguments against opening the floodgates to widespread residential development fall on the other’s deaf ears, leaving him fuming like a clogged chimney.

• Howard. Level-headed and articulate as he is, he finds himself spending much of his time acting as a referee between the opposing sides on issues, and in trying to keep the acrimony and heated exchanges down to a roar. Unsuccessfully at times, or if only for the moment. That he hasn’t used his gavel to silence the most boisterous members is to his credit.

Now, while I need not chronicle all of their ill-conceived decisions since taking office, a few recent ones are indicative of where they defied all logic, if not taken leave of their senses.

For instance, their starting a revolving loan fund for wannabe small businesses in the county is so fraught with so many potential pitfalls in administering it, outside management consultants and auditors would double over laughing. (For a more in-depth analysis, suggest you read .)

Another outlandish decision, that dug deep into taxpayer’s pockets, was the legal defense fund they set up for a half-million dollars, on the assumption that the board, as a whole, or its individual members could be subject to lawsuits for their actions by citizens or organizations. (A well that Rothschild has already drawn $19,000.)

That degree of paranoia I haven’t seen since the Nixon White House was under the gun in the Watergate scandal.

So, not wanting to end on a totally negative note, the only possible solution (however remote) for at least curbing, if not stopping them from further misadventures, would be a public uprising and to march around the COB, with signs reading, such as: “Get off your highhorse”…”Start acting like the servants, not the masters of the people”…”Govern for the good of all, rather than your selfish interests.”

But no doubt their only reaction would be to have deputy sheriffs threaten to arrest them for trespassing on county property and marching without a permit, rather than respecting the constitutional right-set forth in the First Amendment-of the people to “peacefully assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” 

That’d be some spectacle to behold, alright.