Jackson County Commission Special and Regular Meeting. More Continuing Dog and Pony Show Political Action. It's a Circus!

Mr. Andy Mann, Chamber of Commerce Representative speaks at regular Jackson County Commission meeting. Mr. Mann read a resolution signed by "the director" of the Chamber. The resolution suggested: 1) the County Commission cooperate with each other, 2) the Commission adopt the plan suggested by the chairperson Ms. Bias that an outside agency hire the county engineer, 3) that the continued disagreement over this issue makes Jackson County look bad. (It is significant that only the Director of the Chamber apparently signed the resolution and has no force of the full Chamber of Commerce. The suggestion that an outside agency hire the county engineer goes against the policy and tradition of the County Commission. Suggesting that the Commissions actions over this matter makes Jackson County look bad is an exaggeration and ignores the facts of our nations political process of adversarial decision making. It is my belief this action supports local right wing neoconservative ideology and not the process of proper proceedures of commission meetings. There was not one mention of the Commission Chairperson failing to follow rules in relationship of the conducting of the Special Called meeting. )

Dr. Roger Mardis, Pastor of Agape Baptist Church made a political presentation in support of right wing neoconservative political ideology. Dr. Mardis also delivered the prayers at the Special Called meeting and the Regular Council Meeting. Dr. Mardis stated he had contacted all of the commissioners personally and he was pleased with all of their comments to him except Mr. Allen. Apparently Mr. Allen and he had a disagreement. Mr. Allen claimed Dr. Mardis hung up on him.

Mr Allen, after a period of 40 minutes, makes a motion to adjourn the meeting. Mr. Clemmons made a second, the meeting was adjourned with no action being taken.

Mr. John Porter, County Attorney, researches meetings proceedures after being asked several questions by the commissioners. At one point Ms. Bias stated she was going home, Mr Porter commented this would be improper as the meeting would need to be adjourned before she departed. If Ms. Bias had left the meeting, Mr. Allen would have taken over the meeting.

Ms. Sadie Bias, Jackson County Commission Chairperson, allowed Mr. Clemmons to make a motion that the meetings agenda be changed to reflect a third party hire the county engineer. There was no second the motion died. Upon inquiry by another commissioner to the County Attorney over this matter, the attorney stated the only matter before the commission as advertised in the County Commission notice of meeting concerns the hiring of Mr. Richard as County Engineer.

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Mr. Clemmons made 3 seperate attempts to adjourn the meeting without the agenda being accepted or before the issue was discussed, Ms. Bias made 2 seperate attempts at adjournment.

Agenda of the Special Call Meeting. Under the Commission Rules any Discussion issue on the agenda requires a majority vote of the commission. The agenda was not approved as submitted as there was no motion second concerning approval of the agenda. The county attorney stated the only appropriate item for discussion for this Special Meeting concerns the hiring of the County Engineer.

The Special Meeting Agenda is not formatted properly to reflect the sole purpose of the special meeting.

Another Dog and Pony Show at the court house today courtesy of our County Commission.

The Jackson County Commission held a Special Called Meeting at 3:30PM for the purpose of hiring Greg Richard as County Engineer per the Special Called Meeting.
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The Chairperson did not conduct the Special Call Meeting properly nor did the agenda reflect the proper meeting decorum. After the County Attorney informed the Commission of the sole purpose of today's meeting the Chairperson did not bring the issue to the floor and deviated from the purpose of the meeting. The 3 Commissioners which were supporting the hiring of Richard did not challenge the improper proceedures by calling for a "Point of Order" in the improperly conducted Special Called Meeting.
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Chamber of Commerce members weighed in at the regular meeting at 4:30PM concerning the Special Called Meeting. Claiming the Commission is acting unprofessional and they should be cooperating with each other. Huntsville Times report by David Brewer: http://blog.al.com/breaking/2010/01/greater_jackson_county_chamber.html
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A series of wrongs does not make a right. The Chamber of Commerce's suggestion, in agreement with the Commission Chairperson, that a third disinterested party hire an Engineer and the Commission cooperate with each other is not an answer. The very nature of our political system is set up to embellish the process of adversarial confrontation, agreement is not always possible nor necessary. To maintain that the actions of the county commission reflect poorly on the entire county is an exaggeration on the part of the Chamber of Commerce.
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Failing to follow proper proceedures and the law is entirely a different matter, such as occurred today and previously in commission meetings. Failing to follow the law and procedures in meetings is a historical problem with the County Commission.
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In the case concerning the County Engineer, it is the Commission who hires, not the Chairperson nor the chair and one commissioner.
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It has come to my attention that when agenda items are brought forward to be placed on the agenda by the other commissioners, the Chairperson does not place them on the agenda if she does not agree with the item or commissioner. This is wrong and is indicative of a leadership failure and a failure of responsibilities as Chairperson of the Commission. It seems if the Chairperson can't have things her way, there will be no other way.

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During the regular meeting's Commissioner reports section Mr. Clemmons' stated the commission was a dysfunctional commission. Does he mean they are dysfunctional because some commissioners do not agree with him or Ms. Bias, or does he think they are dysfunctional because they can't reach agreements on issues? There are times when the citizen is better off with no decision.
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The citizens may have voted the commissioners into office but individually the commissioners are accountable and responsible for their personal actions. Mr. Clemmons placing blame on the citizens for commissioners inept actions while on the commission is ludicrous. Time will pass and election time will occur soon enough.
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The County Engineer should have already been chosen. The actions on the part of the Commission Chairperson has prevented this from occurring. Now, the Chamber of Commerce enters the fray supposedly in the name of "fostering cooperation." I think the Chambers intervention and opinion is more in the name of exaggerated neoconservative political support for a political position instead of insisting the law and rules be followed.

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Another issue, a motion was made by Mr. Allen and seconded in the Regular Meeting discussion portion that the county employees receive a 3% pay increase. A discussion ensued concerning this issue. No one seemed to know what the budget status was or how much money is in the budget other than Mr. Allen. He claimed he had checked on the amount of funds in the budget and he stated the commission could afford to pay the county employees the 3% raise which was not approved due to neglect of the budget at the end of the previous year. Mr. Clemmons voted no on the issue as he stated that he did not know the budget situation. The county Employees will not receive a pay increase.

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The fact the Chair, the administrator or no other commissioner, except Mr. Allen's claim, knew what the budget status was as to funds available is negligent. It is their responsibility to know the status of the budget. By law Ms. Bias is directly responsible for the budget status.

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In other business the commissioners approved Sheriff Miller to organize a pool of stand in Security Officers for Court House Security. Their salary was also approved at $15.00 per hour.