It was a heavy scene, man
So.
You have to love the happenings at public meetings.
Monday night’s Anderson County Commission meeting was no exception. It came with a serene and friendly atmosphere that reminded me of one of those made for television movies from back in the 1960s that featured hippie songs, peace signs, love beads, and lots of dialogue that ended with “Man.”
“That’s so cool, man.”
It came complete with a truly surreal moment (at least for me) and an unexpected outburst, leaving two commissioners asking, “What’s the controversy?”
Outgoing County Commissioners Steve Emert and Phil Warfield were honored with resolutions, a plaque and a day in their honor.
Retiring interim Trustee and 24-year civil servant Myron Iwanski was honored with a resolution, a plaque, and a day in his honor.
Retiring sheriff Paul White received the same, as did 40-year veteran of law enforcement Chief Deputy Mark Lucas.
They all received deserving standing ovations.
And that was BEFORE the actual commission meeting started.
What followed felt like a mutual admiration society meeting.
For about 20 minutes. Then is turned … Strange?
Apparently the only way a person can become aware of a variance given to a piece of property near their home is by reading The Courier News.
And what if you don’t read The Courier News? What if you’ve never read a newspaper in your life?
Maybe that’s just not the way some people get their news.
Like, “Ouch!” man.
But someone said there has to be a better way for the county to inform “a neighborhood (not just one property owner)” about variances given to property that may affect that neighborhood.
The suggestion was put forth, the county address an envelope, stick a notice inside, and mail it to the homeowners in the same area that a variance is being requested and/or given.
Not a bad suggestion. A little clumsy and awkward to set up maybe.
But then a button was pushed and a line was crossed because — and let me be clear about this — “Maybe someone is trying to finance The Clinton Courier” was the wrong thing to say to try and get a chuckle.
That was not cool, man.
So let me see if I understand this. Some people don’t want to pay 75-cents for a newspaper. For whatever reason.
But they want to be made aware of things going on in their neighborhood. They want the public notices. They want the county to spend 47-cents (stamp), plus a letter or card (let’s say 5-cents), envelope (another 5-cents), pay someone to type these notices, stuff the envelope, run it through a postage meter, mail it …
Some people don’t want to spend 75-cents, but it’s okay if the county spends thousands of dollars a year — because this wouldn’t be for just one person on a one time only basis — and either cut services somewhere else or raise the tax rate by .3-cents or something to pay for it.
Or maybe the county should post these notices on a cork board in the courthouse and everyone can drive to the courthouse once a week.
Solid, man.
It makes sense to me to spend $2.33 in gas (not to mention wear and tear on your vehicle), rather than 75-cents.
I may be wrong, but that’s kinda my take.
I will add that putting a public notice in a newspaper — any newspaper — is the most cost effective way to reach out.
Plus, it’s like the law, man.
You don’t have to have Internet at 50-bucks a month or however much you choose to pay (or not pay). You don’t have to have go to the courthouse and worry about parking (because there isn’t much) or running out of gas.
You just need 75-cents (or however much your favorite newspaper costs).
After that everything went back to being hunky-dory. Everybody was nice, polite, lots of “yes ma’am” and “yes, sir” and thanking people for their hard work and everybody was smiling.
There was even cake and punch.
Seriously, there really was cake and punch.
And soda. And coffee. And lots of “be sure you get some of this cake,” and “did you get some coffee?”
It was like, groovy.
But then a simple resolution or proposition, or question, or whatever it was turned into a bucket full of vitriol.
And man, that just upset all the good vibes.
Man.
It also led to one of the most bizarre voting scenarios I’ve witnessed in 30-plus years of covering government meetings.
And I’ll give someone a free Dum-Dum sucker if they can explain to me what the purpose of that was.
It was a heavy scene, man.
