On or about Monday May 17, 2010 at the county commissioners meeting the county manager made the statement that he would meet with anyone to set the record straight concerning the county deal with Confederate Packaging and also the problems concerning the old Tuckaseigee Mills property. The next day I called the county manager’s office and expressed my interest in scheduling a meeting with the manager concerning his public statement from the night before. On Wednesday May 19 my telephone call was returned by the manager’s administrative assistant and she stated that the county manager felt that we didn’t need to meet to talk on these issues.
According to North Carolina General Statutes when a citizen makes a legal public records request the public employee is legally supposed to honor that request for public information. My request for this public information was denied despite the county manager’s public remarks stating that he would meet with anyone on May 17 and totally disregarding the law.
Have we reached the point in the history of our republic where citizens are routinely denied information about the workings of our government by the people who work for us?
Commisioners, current disquieting public events are accumulating with more frequency, driving to an unfortunate state of affairs where the citizens will be forced to use all available lawful means to force their government to be constitutionally responsive to their needs. This is not a preferred outcome.
Back in March of this year you commissioners and the citizens of Jackson County entered into a tacit agreement that those seats that you are sitting in belong to the citizens. You also agreed that our county government operations must become open, honest and accountable.
All cogent individuals are aware that November 2 is fast approaching with all its socio-political ramifications. What some folks don’t seem to understand is that another date is quickly approaching also—the date where, if elected and unelected office holders of all stripes; county, state, and federal governments, have not restored the rule of constitutional law to their behaviors in the performance of their offices, then consequently we the people will become absolved of all of our duties and responsibilities to the current socio-political contract.
May God have mercy upon all of us if that day ever comes.
