An Abuse of Power - A Review of the Jackson County Commission's Dog & Pony Show Acts

Lets review ten (10) acts of the current Jackson County Commission which have resulted in costing citizens thousands upon thousands of dollars in unnecessary legal expenses and brought great discredit upon the citizens of Jackson County. There are more despicable and questionable acts of this commission but these are the ten highlights of what could be described as an "abuse of power."

There was the (1) Courthouse Security fiasco and the cancellation of the recommended (2)personnel hiring system which resulted in the resignation of the County Personnel Board President and others. This action by the commission allowed for the hire of commissioner relatives. "Education is discrimination," says Commissioner Smith. A county commissioner only has power when they are sitting as a group. For some reason the commissioners seem to think they have some sort of individual power, they do not. Chairperson Bias was right in the below video concerning Jack Smith's inappropriate intervention into the personnel process. (3) Abuse of Power - "Code of Alabama Section 11-3-11 Powers and duties generally. (a) The county commission shall have authority:" Note the law indicates the "county commission" has authority, not an individual commissioner. The only person on the Jackson county Commission which has authority in day to day operations is the Chairperson of the Commission.


There was the (4) Engineer fiasco involving different organizations in town. Attempts to influence the commission, complete with Chamber of Commerce and religious leader intervention into the show. http://arklite.blogspot.com/2010/01/jackson-county-commission-special.html

When religious leaders and the Chamber become embroiled in local politics (Which is certainly their right to do so and my right to comment.) there is a reason for the outside political involvement. Is it concern or is it a political party move?

Clemmons and Bias attempted to hold their own version of a Special Called Engineer hire meeting outside of the published agenda. Complete with religious and Chamber input. Which leads me to wonder about the political planning involved. They were reminded that law required them to stick to the published agenda. But for such a group apparently law, policy, proceedures and leadership matter naught.

Allow an outside agency to select the engineer said the right wing political party influence. There's more to that act than meets the eye!

Enter more scandalous decission making in the commission's circus. (5) Personnel policy and personnel decision making in secret, outside of the county and calling it mediation. I call it an excuse to conduct county government operations in secret under the color of law.  (6) Commission agenda  policy was deliberated at the secret mediation sessions.

Bias had no problem muck raking a county engineer applicant through the mud with alleged charges which were not valid. Firing another license inspector for positive drug tests as reported by officials. (7) Now enter a convicted felon, theft 2 and robbery3, the Grandson of a County Commissioner, deals are struck. The License inspector is hired, a law enforcement position involving licensing and permitting enforcement and inspection. http://www.waff.com/story/15964911/jackson-county-employee-faced-felony-charges-prior-to-being-hired  and this WAFF story. http://www.waff.com/story/16407093/jackson-co-may-have-full-time-license-inspector-with-criminal-record

That is not all in the decision making failures of the circus antics of the county commission costing the tax payers thousands upon thousands of dollars paid to out of county attorneys.

There was the (8) County Park Dog & Pony show, a vote trading scheme? The placement of Commissioner Horace Clemmons on the County Park Board. for what purpose? To end the Jackson County Park Board so the County Commission could control the funds. Jack Smith was the key to the act. Clemmons was placed on the Jackson County Park Board with 2 votes of the commission, Jack Smith and Horace Clemmons.

In my opinion, a trade, a deal was struck. Smith's grandson's job for Clemmons' scheme concerning the park. Control of the park money is necessary for Clemmons' stated goal of a park at the Walls of Jericho Parking area. Clemmons stated early on in his political foray into county politics, "If I accomplish nothing else I want to see a camping area park at the Walls of Jericho parking area." When these issues were brought up to the commission by me, Bias, Clemmons and Smith attempted intimidation and made threats.

The commissioners approach to issues in several cases have been deceitful, secretive and manipulative.

Lets not forget the  TVA-in-lieu-of-tax fiasco (9) where closed meetings were scheduled and deals were made between the commission and legislative delegation, in secret.

And now for their closing act of 2011: (10) The county commission decreases and removes part of the  Probate Judges pay in the amount of $18,000.00 +. Completely ignoring Amendment 92 of the Alabama Constitution prohibiting such actions. Ignoring the fact it was the County Commission which authorized the Probate Judges pay level during his current term in office.

Looking at the totality of these events involving the county commission, the singular example of bad government which represents the most costly (thus far) in money and principle to the citizens of Jackson County are the court ordered mediation instances relating to the county engineer and the county park.

In these cases decisions were made and deliberated outside of the commission agenda.  Deliberations were made out of the county in secret sessions. Personnel policy and  the agenda policy were changed in these deliberative sessions in secret. This is an example of why the judiciary should use extreme care in making decisions in which the legislative branch of government would normally make in an open session. Mediation must never be utilized as an excuse for conducting legislative decission making in secret, which apparently occurred in this case.