Unchecked power

Lots of examples lately where unchecked power is adding to the status of Guilford County becoming the laughing stock of the state.

1. Too much alleged secrecy in our county government is making some question the power of Guilford County commissioner Skip Alston and vice-chairman Steve Arnold.

An excerpt from a LTTE in today's N&R:

Where are, and who has, the checks and balances over your authority as leaders of the Guilford County commissioners? We believe you have turned this fine county of Guilford into a county of chaos and disruption in a most secretive way. Where is the transparency in government? It is our belief that you have overstepped your authority by being arrogant and most secretive (yes, we are using that terminology again to describe your actions). We believe you are attempting to be dictators.

I would contend that for a county our size, our county board is too thick. Likewise, with our school board...does it take these many commissioners to represent us (or not represent us--in some cases?)
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2. County commissioner Billy Yow refers to the ongoing secrecy in county government in The Inside Scoop:

Commissioner Billy Yow is fed up with the secrecy in the county lately.

“Tell me what you see happened in the open,” he says, referring to layoffs and the way in which the county lost a manager, attorney and deputy manager — all suddenly and quietly — in December. “Did you see the manager in the open, the deputy in the open, the attorney in the open?”

Can you argue with him? I can't.
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3. The ongoing scandals down at City Hall have resulted from unchecked power by some elected officials. And some want the practice to continue.

Reference my friend Dr. Guarino's post yesterday, in which he discusses the op-ed piece printed in yesterday's N&R by Susan Schwartz of Action Greensboro; Chuck Cornelio of the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance; and Chuck Burns of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce.

The op-ed is startling.

Excerpt:

However civic-minded and conscientious as they are with their constituents, elected officials are most effective when they respect this division of responsibility and give their professional staff the authority to manage day-to-day operations. This provides local government with the skills and institutional memory to transcend the turnover that occurs with election cycles.

But it's the unchecked power that's part of the problem. And it's the unchecked power that's ruining Guilford County right now.

What's more incredibly ironic is that in-Action Greensboro issues these thoughts, when they themselves still can't properly explain the recent and questionable donation to the local Simkins PAC.

Guarino:

We need to remember that Action Greensboro, a non-profit organization, gave $5,000.00 to the Simkins PAC during the last election cycle, in likely violation of the law. The president of this organization was one of the authors of today's N&R article. Recall that Action Greensboro is one of the three components of the Greensboro Partnership.

We won't forget, Doctor G.

William H. “Bill” Carstarphen, former Greensboro city manager, even inked a recent op-ed in which he discussed the issue of local government management allegedly being under attack.

Mr Carstarphen writes:

Why is this of concern? Someone once said, “Over forms of government let fools contest; whatever governs best is best!”

There is truth to this. The overwhelming evidence of history and experience in American municipal and county government supports the “council-manager plan” as the best way to insure the honest, ethical and equitable delivery of services. Until recently, Guilford County and the city of Greensboro would have been held up as outstanding examples of that evidence.

I contend government is too big in this state, it is too big in this county, and has unrepentantly contributed to the mess we're in today.

Last I checked, I thought we lived in a democracy, not a dictatorship. Remember, some on our City Council don't even want ethics...it is disgusting.

This comment, under yesterday's op-ed, is striking:

How many jobs have Ms Schwartz, Mr Cornelio, or Mr Burns brought to Greensboro? . They are as big a failure as Mitch and his gang. We need jobs. The key to bringing the jobs is the WATER in Randleman Dam. After thirty years you would wonder when if ever we'll have that water. What are they doing about this? They congratulate each other how great things are, yet I believe they are all part of the problem. This town is eroding daily and our leaders are blind. They hide behind their damn POLITICAL CORRECTNESS. Until our leaders realize this and have the courage to stand up to pacs and political agendas, nothing much will change.

It's not the bloggers. And once we get beyond the do-nothing PACs and the other idiotic alphabet groups running this town (and ruining this town), maybe some substantive changes in the direction of this city can be made.

E.C. :)