Who do you trust?

Through public pressure, the Tennessee legislature is being persuaded to revisit the requirement that school superintendents (director of schools) be elected by the community as opposed to being appointed by local Boards of Education (school board), as is presently required. It is not surprising that in general, school boards do not want a return to what until less than a decade ago was normal practice in Tennessee, because they like the power and control an appointed lackey gives them. The Bradley County school system is a good example of why appointed superintendents do not work in favor of the taxpayer who employs them. Taxpayers, like it or not, fund education. They own the schools and everything in them. Taxpayers are the parents, grandparents and guardians of all the children of the county, and should therefore decide the direction of local education by choosing the people who manage the system on their behalf.

Bradley County taxpayers have suffered with an out-of control board and director of schools for years. Appointing a director of schools has facilitated the wasting of enormous amounts of money and the shaking down of taxpayers using intimidation and threats. Successive boards have disenfranchised anyone who disagrees with them by removing their right to petition them with their grievances. Board meetings have become nothing more than pep rallies by removing public input into the decision making process and hiring a director that hides failings from public view.

In former director Bob Taylor, the school board encouraged a man who was disrespectful to the Bradley County Commission and arrogant toward the taxpayer. Taylor served the board well but it is unlikely voters would have been so pleased with his antics. With a more citizen friendly superintendent much of the waste and mismanagement would not have occurred. An elected superintendent would have been respectful to all the people's representatives and not just those doing the appointing. It would have been in his interest to be sympathetic to the taxpayer and work with them to provide the best education possible for the funds available. Being unaccountable allowed him to gang up with the school board to shakedown citizens. The chances are that new director Johnny McDaniel, will exhibit  similar characteristics because he was chosen by the same people.

If Bradley County had a board of education which was responsive to the needs of the citizen and be willing to work with them and the county commission for the betterment of student education, an appointed director would probably work out okay.  To date, the school board has proven itself untrustworthy to have unfettered power, so an elected director is essential for healthy school system management. Let the voters choose.

That's what I think. What do you think?

Arrogance peeks through.

A quote from Cleveland Board of Education member Bill Brown (published in the CDB, Dec. 14). "[in] the corporate model," "employees don't elect supervisors and supervisors don't elect general managers,"  when he was commenting on if voters be allowed to vote for county school superintendent.

Lesson in the corporate model 101; Board members, general managers and supervisors will be fired if they treat stock holders as their employees.

Lesson in the American government model 101; Government of the people, by the people, for the people.

That's what I think. What do you think?

They'll never learn

The Republican party just suffered a good whipping in the presidential election. A shot across the bow by republican faithful disenfranchised by good ol' boyism within the party. So what does the Tennessee Republican Party do in response to an embarrassing defeat? You guessed it. They buried their heads a little deeper hoping no one would notice, then promptly endorsed Chip Saltsman for Chairman of the RNC. The Saltsman family epitomize everything that is wrong with the party and needs to be fixed, yet already good ol' boyism is consolidating itself as a guiding force for republicanism. I can't believe the republican party would jeopardize one of its strongholds by such a stupid move. I can just imagine the glee on democrat faces when Saltsman was chosen. It would be hard to find a more self serving candidate unless you chose his father, Bruce Saltsman, former state TDOT Commissioner during the Sundquist administration. I wonder how many Bradley county republican good ol' boys toasted that decision. Apparently, the Republican Party is embarrassed that Tennessee is one of the remaining bastions of republicanism left, so are doing their best to destroy that too.

They'll never learn.

That's what I think. What do you think?

Is there a traitor in the camp

The Cleveland City Council has voted to push the voters into accepting a sales tax increase, because the refuse to consider tightening their belts and quit the spending spree. The problem they face now is paying for the special election it will take to petition the voters. Up steps tax and spend city advocate Ben Atchley to the rescue. Atchley, and fellow county commissioners, have already voted not to participate in the election and many have gone on record as not supporting any type of tax increase during these troubled financial times. Now Atchley has had a change of heart, concerned that county voters may not get their say, he proposes the county participate, which will include picking up the $30-50,000 tab for the special election. It must be said that Atchley has been saying he is personally against a sales tax increase, but this editor can't recall him in his six years on the county commission ever being against a tax increase. Also during his tenure he has proven a major supporter of the Cleveland City Council. I believe his latest move to suck in the county is an effort to help the Cleveland Council over a rough spot and not for his interest in county voters. I also believe the county commission is on to his scam and will reject his idea.

Remember, the city council has said the referendum is to choose between a sales tax increase, or a property tax increase and not just an up or down vote on the sales tax.

The Cleveland City Council have been spending themselves into bankruptcy for years, now it is time for them to pay the piper they want the county to do it for them.

That's what I think. What do you think?


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