Insightful letter (“Citizens should work for good of county”, Sylva Herald, 12/31/09) of Mrs. Cobb’s. 2010 has all the makings of also being "difficult and unpredictable" as 2009 was. It is an excellent time for our communities to come together and work with each other to improve the lives of all in the county. When our 'leaders', in meeting after meeting, make no report on anything that they may have done for us it seems that we can't count on them to do the job that we elected them to do; commissioners, no report, no pay.
It would seem that citizens are unwilling to serve on county boards and committees of a local government that they have lost trust in. Despite this, perhaps if the county advertised with the local media of the need for citizen-service they might get some volunteers.
Other than not making appropriate good faith efforts to attract citizen-talent perhaps citizen disillusionment with the county is occurring because of the lack of positive action with the on-going TWSA pollution debacle? Or maybe it’s the pay raise to the ‘fat cats’ scandal that everyone’s hopping mad over? Or could it be the financial black hole of the Jackson Development Corporation; the Jackson County Economic Development Commission’s (and the county’s) role in funneling public monies to this private entity; contrary to what has been told us by county leaders (and has made the scandal worse); and the distinct possibility of an investigation by federal and other authorities. County office holders have done closure without resolution in this matter which is akin to burying someone before they’re pronounced dead.
By the way, inside sources have told me that county employees were discouraged from obtaining and reading the Mercer report. Perhaps top un-elected office holders didn’t really want county employees seeing for themselves that the pay raises went against the recommendations of that report and that misrepresentations by these office holders was just an excuse for greed gone wild.
I agree that we need to stay vigilant and continue to work to save our mountains and watersheds. The Jackson County Citizen Action Group was formed by concerned citizens in the late summer of 2008 to be a “coalition of the county” amongst neighbors who wanted to help other neighbors in all parts of the county. To that end we of JAG will continue in 2010 to be the rallying point for “neighbors helping neighbors” and to remind county office holders, elected and un-elected, that we will accept no less than totally honest and open government.
