BUTLER COUNTY: Carpenter Shenanigans Rebuffed

I take no small measure of delight in this Journal piece outlining the hiring of an office manager.

As usual, one commissioner tried to bring in a crony...but in a rare moment of clarity, Don Dixon decided not to back Cindy Carpenter's plan.

Carpenter really wants to find Jeff Wyrick a job. She has failed again.

Let's go to the tape...

Commissioners Don Dixon and T.C. Rogers voted for Cooper’s employment, while commission President Cindy Carpenter voted no.

Among the five finalists who interviewed with the commission, was Jeff Wyrick, according to county Administrator Charles Young. Wyrick served a deputy clerk for Carpenter when she was county clerk if courts.

Rogers said he knew going into the interviews that Wyrick was Carpenter’s choice for the position, but said Cooper impressed him because she is currently running a large office and has the educational background for the job.

That leaves us with Dixon and here is what he had to say...

Dixon agreed. He said Cooper has a number of skill sets to bring to the job, including consensus building and dealing with personality issues in the office.

“She is energetic and optimistic. It will be a fresh set of eyes,” Dixon said.

The fact that she is from outside the county is also a plus, he said.

“She doesn’t know anybody from Butler County, she has never worked in Butler County and to my knowledge she is not related to anybody in Butler County,” Dixon said.

Someone on Facebook translated that last statement as "Let me call my family...We can get someone real soon to take that high paying, rich benefit county job, and keep the gravy train flowing."

SIDEBAR QUESTION: Has Dixon managed to get all of his cronies jobs???

Anyway...

The best part of the whole story was this:

Carpenter could not be reached for comment.

Of course she wasn't available, she was too busy scheming her revenge.....

Somewhere, Chuck Furmon is smiling because he doesn't have to deal with any of this crap anymore...

BUTLER COUNTY: Commissioners Go to Back Room for Deal

If there is a need for even more evidence that the Butler County Commission is corrupt and out of control, I can't think of a better exhibit than this. Once again, we find that Cindy Carpenter and Don Dixon are incapable of doing the right thing even when the result of any vote is a forgone conclusion.

Citizens don't ask much of their government, but transparency and a willingness to do the community's business the right way is certainly chief among them. These two clowns are not acting in the county's best interests. They do whatever they want and they don't care about what you, the little people who pay taxes in this area, think about anything.

Members of the Butler County Republican Party, you folks should be outraged and yelling from the rooftops about how absurd these two buffoons are making the party look. This is NOT what represents the best of what our party should be offering and it is on YOU, the Butler County GOP, that we have these pathetic people representing us. Do a better job next time and maybe we won't have to be the laughing stock of the state. Seriously, only Cuyahoga County's shenanigans out do the nonsense we have to tolerate here. And that is a real shame...

Butler County Republicans are serious people, but allowing these tools to be our standard bearers make us out to be idiots. Don't be their sycophants, speak out. And speak LOUDLY...

BUTLER COUNTY: Cindy F'n Carpenter is an Embarassment

The latest in a long series of examples can be found here.

Cindy, if you can't buy some class, maybe you should at least consider renting...

Commissioner Carpenter Strikes Again

Cindy Carpenter is a real piece of work. As far as I know, we're still in a financial crisis in this county and she's worried about employees snacking while working. Oh, don't think I didn't notice that Don Dixon missed yet another meeting...seems like that guy has about as many vacations as Michelle Obama...at least we aren't paying for his...at least, we better not be paying for them. Looks to me like the only guy focused on the county's business is Chuck Furmon...you know, the one that just got thrown out of office for whatever reason... Somebody ought to ask the Stuttering Tea Party Savior of Butler County what he thinks of all of this nonsense...

BUTLER COUNTY: Carpenter Crap and Jolly's Follies

Two stories worth mentioning this morning.

The first is that as reported here yesterday, it does indeed appear that Greg Jolivette has some problem with his petitions. That hearing will be today, so we should know more about that situation as it develops.

And now on to the Main event...

Cindy Carpenter is, in my opinion, a dangerous and vindictive manipulator. I've tried to give her second and third chances, but she can't seem to stay off my radar. Stories like this one isn't improving her image:

The employee agreed to make controlled, recorded calls to Carpenter as part of the investigation.

During the first phone call, the woman told Carpenter she was in kind of a “pickle” because she told a coworker “about what you said that night over at the IHOP,” according to the investigation report.

When Carpenter asked, “What thing?” the woman answered, “About when you were suggesting that I just screw up the files and stuff.”

Carpenter replied, “Uh-huh and reiterated ‘that I suggested to you that you screw up the files?’”

The woman said, “Yea, because I had some problems actually that same week with the files and they were questioning me what was going on.”

Carpenter, who was not interviewed separately by BCI agents, answered, “So you didn’t say you did it on purpose.”

The woman replied, “No, I was trying to cover, didn’t want them mad at me ... I was trying to get myself out of a situation.”

The woman agreed to a follow-up controlled telephone call. In the conversation, the woman told Carpenter she was concerned the restaurant conversation would come back to her since there was an investigation.

According to the documents, Carpenter said, “Since that was a table full of 18 people, goofing off and joking, that’s not a conspiracy by any stretch of the imagination.”

way to go, Butler County! You managed to elect yet another corrupt lunatic!

BUTLER COUNTY: Administrator Gets Out of Dodge

Thanks Cindy Carpenter and Don Dixon.  Now THIS is the sort of "leadership" we need alright...let's run everybody out of town!

Glad to see this guy got a gig where people will appreciate his skills.

Combs (Jones) vs Furmon

Updating a previous item on WMD...

It appears, at least according to this Dayton Daily Democrat News piece from Pitman that if both Furmon and Dixon go for re-election, then Combs will square off against Furmon.

Previously Combs was quoted as saying:

My focus will be to bring Butler County back to where it was when I left; the top county in the state with all elected office holders working together.

...which makes the choice of Furmon's seat kind of strange seeing as he is the only still-serving member of Commission from when Combs last served there.
So what is this really about?

Sheriff "Spotlight" Jones.

Say what?

Combs and Jones have been inseparable.  Whenever Jones needs a legislator to legitimize his issues, Combs is the go-to guy.

Butler County does NOT need a third Jones stooge on the Butler County Commission.  He already has Dixon and Carpenter.  Jones really ought to have the stones to run himself, but he's too afraid to risk giving up all the fiefdoms he already has under his control.

Every time I think the Butler County Republican Party is on the verge of resolving their severe case of the stupids, something like this comes up.  Republicans still have a LOT of work to do to defeat the evil cabal operating in the shadows...

Combs vs. Dixon or Furmon?

So if Combs is going to run for County Commissioner again, who is his target?  According to the Journal piece on the decision, Furmon has already drawn an opponent by the name of T.C. Rogers of West Chester.  The logical choice would be Dixon.

And THAT is going to be fun to watch.

Dixon has talked a good game; but so far, all I have seen as far as action is concerned is a lot of finger pointing and behind-the-scenes political horseplay with Cindy Carpenter. 

BUTLER COUNTY: Crazy Commissioner Carpenter Caught in Confrontation

I flagged this story in my email because, as I said on Facebook last week, I have been busy but some stories just have to be covered on WMD. 

There is a certain paranoia that surrounds Commissioner Cindy Carpenter like an aura or thick fog.  It does not matter what she does or says, if it backfires, she tries to blame somebody else.  I have no recollection of her taking responsibility for anything she has done or said that didn't come up roses, rainbows, sunshine and unicorns.  Near as I can tell from her public record, she makes absolutely no mistakes and is perfect in every way.  That's because when she does goof up, she blames somebody else for it.

The latest example is Carpenter shooting off her mouth leaving a county administrator having to file a complaint due to the nature of the "poor choice of words" employed.

Mikey Pitman has the story over at the Journal News:

Office of Management and Budget Director Pete Landrum reported on April 5 that county Commissioner Cindy Carpenter said, “Line them up and shoot them” during a conversation in which she was expressing frustration about the public defenders project and how items are placed on the agenda.

Landrum wouldn’t comment Thursday evening on the event other than to say, “Something was said and I reported it as county policy demands. I was following county policy. If I didn’t, I’d be reprimanded.”

Carpenter admitted making the statement as hyperbole to make a point. She said she immediately apologized for the frustration she demonstrated and didn’t think it upset Landrum.

The complaint was taken to Commission President Chuck Furmon and Prosecutor Mike Gmoser who now have to spend time "investigating" this nonsense because Cindy Carpenter can't understand that she isn't supposed to threaten people who work for the county.

Why would Landrum think that Carpenter held animosity towards him?  Back to the Pitman story for that:

Before Carpenter took office, the jobs held by Landrum, Administrator Bruce Jewett and Budget and Financial Planning Manager Tonyia Burnett were part of an alleged plan she and Commissioner Don Dixon developed. As part of such a plan, Landrum and Burnett would have been fired while Jewett would have been demoted and transferred.

She's been gunning for him anyway...

I wish I could say that this was the first time I've heard of an incident where Carpenter made people feel uncomfortable or intimidated but it isn't.  I've said it many times before and I'll say it again here: Carpenter is a Mike Fox protegee and we'll be seeing LOTS more incidents like this one until she is either voted out of office or learns that the days "old style" politics in Butler County are over and will no longer be tolerated by the community she has been elected to serve.

More importantly, note how she tries to deflect the blame and point fingers at Furmon and Dixon near the end of the piece:

But said since she took office, Carpenter said she has had felt resistance with her fellow commissioners, Jewett and Landrum.

“Since I came on board, the commissioners have made it as difficult as possible, Bruce has made it as difficult as possible, Pete has made it as difficult as possible,” she said. “It is resistance, it is incredibly frustrating. It’s a dysfunctional office.”

Cindy, have you considered the possibility that the problem is...YOU?  You weren't even sworn in and you conspired with Don Dixon to fire officials and then are left wondering why people don't trust you or your motivations.  As I recall, you tried to blame that on Dixon so at least you are consistent.

We deserve better from our elected officials.  Fortunately, the bulk of our Republican leadership are grown ups who understand that they can't go around threatening people.  When you wield political power, you have to be more careful with the words you use, who you talk to, and how you are perceived.  Some people call it being tactful.  This is a lesson that Cindy Carpenter desperately needs to learn if she is going to be successful going forward.

BUTLER COUNTY: Doc Drop and Timeline of Clerk Title Fund Dispute

This hit the email box on Friday and I wanted to share as much of this information as I can so that the whole story is available for WMD readers.

1. Two articles in January with Roger
2. One article in February by Mary [I don't see an article "by" Mary anywhere... -- MATT]
3. Two articles by both in March - one in Enquirer one in Journal
4. Swain sends letter to GOP (attached) hits mailboxes Friday before Lincoln Day
5. Carpenter sends rebuttal letter (you already have) hits mailboxes monday or tuesday after Lincoln Day

1. Roger Reynolds begins the issue - January 19th - from Middletown but was in Hamilton Paper
http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/middletown-news/auditor-state-may-find-fault-with-butler-county-books-1058195.html

 

2. State Auditor won't comment -  January 21st -
http://www.journal-news.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/butlercountynews/entries/2011/01/21/state_auditor_wont_comment.html

2. New clerk of court allegations - February 19th - http://www.journal-news.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/butlercountynews/entries/2011/02/19/new_clerk_of_court_allegations.html

3. Butler Co. officials: As much as $1.4M misspent Cincinnati Enquirer -  March 8th
http://news.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20110308/NEWS01/103090338/Butler-Co-officials-much-1-4M-misspent

[4. Swain letter is attached below -- MATT]

5. Dispute goes to the county’s GOP members - March 15th - http://www.journal-news.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/butlercountynews/entries/2011/03/15/dispute_goes_to_the_countys_go.html?cxtype=feedbot

The Carpenter Letter is here.  Related WMD commentary is here.  My emailer seems to think that Roger and Mary are "pushing" the story in the press, but I don't really see that in the coverage.

The Swain Letter:


Swain Letter

Absurd Butler County Politics

You know what I am sick and tired of? Bee-Ess Butler County politics. There are so many false characterizations and distortions in this letter from Commissioner Carpenter that I actually had to think twice about publishing it here.

Cindy Carpenter is stuck in high school. She thinks everybody is out to get her. Personally. And that she has never made a mistake or done anything improperly. Ever. Just ask her.

I have yet to see a single remark from Mary Swain OR Roger Reynolds that wasn't professional and focused on good government policy.

Cindy's letter talks about the Carpenter Five like they are extensions of herself. And they are... But that doesn't mean that those folks should have kept their jobs. Cindy gave up that right to decide that when she ran for Commissioner. If she wanted to keep the Carpenter Five employed, regardless of who was paying their salaries from whichever bucket, she should have either taken them with her or stayed in the Clerk's office.

I have not been convinced -- either by this letter or the in-person conversation I had with the commissioner at Lincoln Day -- that the concerns brought to light by Swain and Reynolds have been addressed. They make an excellent counter-point to Carpenter's sampling argument and it is entirely possible that the issue has NEVER been seen by the state auditor's office. That is why a review of the policy is the right move. Of course, you can't second guess the great Cindy Carpenter. She knows all and sees all. It doesn't matter what she does, it is the right move. Even if that means paying people 100% from the title fund.

Who is right? Who is wrong? I don't honestly know. That is why Mary and Roger have asked Dave Yost to figure it out. But the truth is that Cindy carpenter opened up the county to a liability to the state and now we are going to find out just how much the price of employing the Carpenter Five really is...

BUTLER COUNTY: Carpenter Strikes Back

The following letter was sent to Butler County GOP Members:

Mar 11, 2011
Dear Central and Exec committee member:

With 14 years of service to the public and 40 years of service to the Republican party, I have a respectable wealth of knowledge about the Butler COunty Clerk of Courts office and the Butler County Republican Party.

A deplorable attack to both the office and the party has been launched this week by the newly appointed Clerk of Courts, Mary Swain.

Transperancy, accountablity and public service were the hallmarks of my administration. Our practices often served as models for other counties. We recieved local, state and national recognition and awards. Our staff served as advisors and coordinated projects with the Auditor of the State, Attorney General's office, Governor's office, US Department of State, Ohio Supreme Court, Department of Transportation and the FBI

Mary Swain had not served a single day in office before she began attacking my administration. She felt compelled to launch these vicious attacks to cover her inexcusable action of firing 5 loyal, republican employees with over 100 years of exemplary public service. One employee was seven months short of a 30 year retirement. Another employee relied on the health insurance to cover multiple life threatening conditions.

Mary's actions are so shameful that members of the judiciary, public and the Republican party have told her so. She lost supporters when she broker her promise to the Screening and Central committee members to retain the award winning Clerk of Courts Staff. And, her defensive action to strike out in the press with false statements has harmed the reputation of every Republican candidate seeking office. Defying party leadership, Mary has continued to attack me.

The Auditor of the State stands by the results of the previous 14 months audits of my administration, where salaries were allocated as a whole-a process designed to ensure teamwork, flexibility, operational stability and appropriate health insurance deductions. The Butler County Prosecutor declined to validate Mary's conclusions because no documentation was provided. The fact is that from 2002 to present, the allocation between payroll accounts was 50/50. No money is missing. No money was missallocated. No money was misspent. Every employee worked for every penny they earned and every penny was accounted for in the proper fund. The attached charts demonstrate these facts.

Unfortunately for Mary, she failed to comprehend that her public political attacks only served to illuminate her shortcomings. She failed to comprehend the proper courtesy of discussing her concerns with me. She failed to comprehend the statutory fiscal oversight of her new office. She failed to comprehend that the operation of her nine departments and two divisions is required by law to be funded and cannot be materially harmed. Further, she failed to interview existing employees for promotion, instead choosing the political hires of school system employees and a judge's wife.

Both Chairman Dave Kern and Chairwoman Judy Shelton can attest that I have worked diligently to keep her political attacks out of the public eye. However, I cannot stand silently and allow the attacks to continue. I reached out today to Mary Swain in the spirit of cooperation to ask that the former and current employees and the reputation of the Clerk of Courts office be spared from further humilitation.

For the sake of our party, it is time for Mary Swain to live up to her own campaign promises. I urge you to encourage the proper channels and to communicate through the proper authorities. As we approach the 2012 elections we must not tolerate those who seek to divide our party.

Sincerely,
(signature)
Cindy Carpenter
Butler County Commissioner
Former Butler County CLerk of Courts

BUTLER COUNTY: Updates and Breaking Stories

Updating on a story from early in the week in which we learned that current Commissioner Cindy Carpenter may have improperly paid some employees from an State of Ohio account.  I have learned that by 2010, Cindy's entire executive team was charged 100% to the Title Fund.  However, 6 of the 10 employees in question have been charging 100% to Title for most, if not all, their time in her office.

Look, I applaud creative solutions to budget problems.  Particularly when our beloved Sheriff Spotlight continues to cry to the media and anybody else with a camera and/or microphone that his budget shall not be slashed and that there is no waste in his operation.  But the good people of Butler County deserve to know the truth about their public servants and what they have been doing to try to make ends meet.  If it turns out that what Ms. Carpenter has done here was unethical and/or illegal, she ought to face the consequences of her actions.  If the state comes looking for their money, it will be the taxpayer who will foot the bill...again...for the financial shenanigans.

We need genuine leadership...

MAYOR RON

I am pretty sure that the last time Fairfield mayor Ron D'Epifanio made it to the pages was when he endorsed my opponent for Central Committee.  But enough about me...  Now he wants to run for State Representative to replace the term-limited Corky Combs.  As usual he has the support of Corky and Sheriff Spotlight.

None of the above is why I think it is a bad idea...

The Republican Party needs to get younger.  Mayor Ron is 69 years old.  If he were elected, re-elected and then won his final term, he'd be 75...

Just putting it out there...

Of course, if the mayor is the best we can muster, I'm all for it...

MIKE FOX PLEADS GUILTY

A few things about this story from Michael Pitman...

Cindy Carpenter:

“We want Butler County to be portrayed in good light and we are disappointed to see a colleague fall so far from grace,” she said.

“It stands as an example that public officials are held to a higher standard, and deserve to be represented by honest and ethical officeholders,” she added, offering sympathy to Fox’s family, friends and supporters.

Is it just me, or is Cindy actually aware of how silly this stuff sounds coming from Mike Fox: The Next Generation?  I mean, it hits all the right notes, but it still sounds funny...

And now a word from our Democrat friends:

After learning of Fox’s guilty plea, Butler County Democratic Party Chairwoman Jocelyn Bucaro issued a statement deriding Republican officeholders not taking any action “to recover the ill-gotten gains of the guilty or to recover the millions of dollars lost to fraud, waste and abuse.”

Bucaro also questioned whether commissioners will strip Fox of his pension, saying that taxpayers should not have to pay “a public servant who stole from them.”

Hey, Joey, a Republican office holder CALLED THE FBI...I'd say something was done about it.

Joey does make an interesting point about the Mike's pension though...not sure what the possibility is of revoking that is; but if it can be done, it certainly has my blessing.

BUTLER COUNTY: Did Carpenter Mis-Spend a Million Dollars?

I've been watching this story develop and am finally ready to weigh in on some of the craziness...  Let's start with the allegation:

[T]he clerk of courts and county auditor accused former clerk-of-courts-turned-Commissioner Cindy Carpenter of misspending money from the Title fund for at least a decade.
That means the county's tightly squeezed general fund could be forced to reimburse the title fund up to $1.4 million after several rounds of budget cuts prompted furloughs and layoffs in some departments, officials said.

That sounds pretty serious.  And when you consider that the Auditor of State has been called in, you have to think that there is at least some meat on these bones.  Former prosecutor Dave Yost has experience in rooting out this kind of thing, so I am sure we'll get to the bottom of this eventually.
But the outrageous statement from former Clerk/now Commissioner Carpenter simply must be addressed:She questioned what prompted Reynolds and Swain to issue a press release on Monday, but she wouldn't talk about a possible political motivation.

"It's because Mary doesn't understand the duties of her office and the responsibilities," Carpenter said.Cindy is trying to say something she can't say here.  She wants to say that this is a political witch hunt and that people are out to get her.  But she can't say that because people would think she's crazy.

What's this really about?

Five of the 10 positions in question involve Carpenter employees who Swain fired early this month - Administrator Jerome Cook; Deputy Clerk of Courts Jeff Wyrick, who competed against Swain for the clerk appointment and was Carpenter's pick; Finance Director Stephanie Harris; a secretary, Stacy Carpenter; and Purchasing Agent Diane Bicknell.

Imagine my surprise...  We find out that there are 76 workers in the office and 26 of those were cross-trained to do title work but only 10 (half of whom are the Carpenter Five) got paid from this fund.  And yet this fact emerges:

In 2010, 52 percent of clerk's office salaries came from the title fund and the rest came out of the legal fund.

Whoa.
Maybe that is legit...I'll wait for Yost to determine that...but it sure looks funny.

As for the politics...  Once again, all I can say is that Cindy Carpenter is a protege of Mike Fox...  Butler County's electorate seems to like shady characters in high profile positions because they keep electing that archetype.

BUTLER COUNTY: Shadow Government Update

Michael Pitman has two pieces on the Butler County Shadow Commission that are worth takinga look at...

Here are a few things from the first...

“Dialogue is good, and I decided that it should take place in the open,” he said. “Quite frankly, leaving Commissioner Furmon out of the dialogue may have been wrong.”

-- Commissioner Don Dixon

No, Commissioner, you got caught.  Now we are supposed to believe that you think county business ought to take place out in the open?  Sorry, no sale.  If you actually believed that, you wouldn't have masterminded these talks in the first place.

Carpenter defended the idea of discussing alternatives, saying, “We need creative, innovative administrators.”


-- Commissioner Cindy Carpenter

Yes, but more than that, we need to have full faith in our government restored.  I have no objection to creativity or innovation, but I strenuously object to backroom deals and "good old boy" politics even if the old boy happens to be a woman.

Furmon said he knew nothing of the behind-the-scenes discussions until the day before they were supposed to take place. He said he was “amazed and disappointed.”

County staff “have really worked hard and under adverse circumstances,” Furmon said. “It just seems like a strange way to do business.”

--Commissioner Chuck Furmon

More on Furmon's reactions when we get to the second piece, but I want to reiterate that I don't necessarily oppose the idea that changes need to be made.  I agree with Furmon that the Dixon-Carpneter Shadow Government does seem like a strange way to do business.  Unfortunately, this is the sort of ehtics in government that this county has been sufering from for quite some time.

Now, on to the second article...

The two could legally meet without violating Ohio’s Sunshine Law, because Carpenter had not yet been sworn in as a county commissioner.

I have no problem with them meeting.  I have a problem with them making decisions and interviewing candidates all without the knowledge of their colleague who is -- supposedly -- in the same party as these two.

For me, this comes down to the fact that we do not have a unified front in dealing with the economic mess we find ourselves in because there are too many factions protecting their little fiefdoms at the expense of doing what is right.

So, yeah, legally they could meet...but I think the county would have been better served by doing the right thing.

Dixon put some of the blame for the current state of the county on himself, saying commissioners’ “leadership needs to be a little more pronounced.”

“I think particularly with me. I need to give more direct direction,” Dixon said. “I’m going to work on my style, help them work on their style.”

Oh, boy, where do I start...

A successful commission works as a team.  There is no 'i' in team.  That is a cliche for a reason.  Don't get me wrong, I don't expect commissioners to not have any differences at all, but I don't think it is too much for these people to show each other respect.  More than anything, Dixon could use a healthy does of humility and recognize that he is a part of a team that includes not just the other two commissioners, but the entire administration.

Carpenter defended the decision to discuss alternatives, saying she still believes practices need to change.

“One of the things that we have said in the past few months is we need to fundamentally change the way we do business,” she said.

I would agree with you Cindy, but there is a right way of doing things and you have demonstrated that you are not capable of seeing it.

My biggest fear about Carpenter has been her many connections to former Commissioner Mike Fox.  This move comes right out of the Mike Fox play book.  Is that really what we need in this county?  A replay of Mike Fox politics? I don't think so...

Furmon, who was oblivious to the conversations between Dixon and Carpenter, said Tuesday he wants to work past the closed-door meetings of his two colleagues. It was a much less aggressive stance than he took in an interview with The Cincinnati Enquirer on Sunday, in which he referred to his colleagues’ actions as “the epitome of arrogance.”

Furmon said the county administration has “bent over backwards” to present a 2011 budget. While he’s not happy with the back-room discussions, Furmon said wants to move on.
“I’m hoping to get past this and continue working together and do what’s right for the county,” Furmon told Cox Media Group Ohio.

Take note, Butler County Republicans, who the good guy is in all of this.  In every battle brought Furmon's way, he has taken the high road.  He serves this county with dignity and a moral code that is centered on doing what is right for the county.

But his reaction on Sunday in the Enquirer was right on target: It was the epitome of arrogance.  And while Furmon may wish to move on, I think it does the party and the citizenry as a whole a disservice if we don't remember this treachery down the road.

I have said it before and I will say it again: We can do better.  We have to do better.

BUTLER COUNTY: Scheming Commissioners and Scheme They ALMOST Got Away With

As any regular reader will tell you, I'm all about making some changes here in Butler County.  But if you have spent any time here at all, you would also know that I believe in transparency in government.  What Commissioners Don Dixon and Cindy Carpenter plotted to do behind closed doors is a travesty and it won't be forgotten.

According to the Enquirer story, Dixon and Carpenter planned to replace a significant number of personnel in county administration with cronies of their own without the knowledge of fellow Commissioner Chuck Furmon.  I expect this sort of chicanery from Dixon, but had been holding out hope that Carpenter might be different.  I guess the Jeff Wyrick Incident should have been a clue...

So what happened to this grand plan?  Apparently, according to the Enquirer story at least, Dixon grew a conscience or something.

What I really don't understand is how these two supposedly intelligent people think that they could do this sort of thing and not have the story get out.  How many people did they interview?  How many staffers were involved?  These two can't even run a simple coup without getting caught.  I am not impressed by the level of competence on display by our villains in this caper.

There is a right way to do business in government and so far Butler County hasn't seen it...at least, not for a long, long time.

BUTLER COUNTY: MetroParks NOT "Cheated" by Budget

So, Butler County Commissioners unanimously adopted a budget.  That's great.  And while the cuts in that budget are likely to hurt in the short term, it was the only reasonable and responsible thing to do.  I congratulate Chuck Furmon, Don Dixon, and Cindy Carpenter on doing the right thing and not kicking the can further down the road.

That said, I also have to take issue with this piece which quotes "resident" Lisa Wall saying that the commissioners "cheated" MetroParks.  MetroParks problem is the sole responsibility of their board of directors who apparently have been living under a rock in one of their closed parks and didn't realize that this county and this state is in a bit of fiscal bind.  By assuming that county funding would remain during a recession was foolish and lacking appropriate stewardship which is not the commissions fault at all.

If I read this right...

The county annually pays the parks district, which is not under county control, a stipend from the property transfer fees that would have been $400,200.

...the county is under absolutely no obligation to provide funding to MetroParks at all.  This is the sort of wacky thinking that leads to $4300 expenditures for 10 days worth of forms in the Clerk of Courts office.  Government, at all levels, has to tighten their belts and get back to the basics of providing essential services which are required and that is it.

We aren't out of this mess yet...

BUTLER COUNTY: Round-Up

As I have taken something of a self-imposed hiatus for the holidays I have been flagging some Butler County stories that I didn't want to just forget about.  So here are a few of those along with some stuff that hit the radar today...

BUDGET WOES

Mike Pitman had a story about how one county bureaucrat was trying to blame the Cincinnati Premium Outlet mall for taking away money from Butler County.  While this may have some elements of truth to it, Butler County should have been able to balance that with IKEA alone.

And isn't it ridiculous that the county is left to whining about the success of a development project in a neighboring county?  Why not offer some suggestions on what the county should do to make itself more attractive to business?

Pitman makes one mistake in his piece.  He writes:

The national economy is still to blame for many problems, including Butler County’s projected $7 million 2011 deficit.

That's just not right.  I could buy that if Butler County started its downturn at the same time and actually took proactive action to correct it.  But if you look at Butler County budgets, it's been nothing but SPEND, SPEND, SPEND with no end in sight (I was going to say with a few exceptions, but that's not really accurate either as there were plenty of exceptions, its just that at least one department gobbled up all those savings because The Exalted High Commissioner of the Sheriff's Department whined to idiots like Mike Pitman and the Intrepid Reporter Josh who were all too willing to air the dirty laundry while not saying a word about how sheriff Spotlight has been driving this county off a financial cliff for a decade or so.)

And then there is this guy...

But whatever is done, Commissioner Don Dixon said it cannot be business as usual, but rather business as it should be.

“It’s going to be difficult, it’s going to be difficult all over,” Dixon said. “But it’s not impossible.”

I can only laugh at yet another of Sheriff Spotlight's stooges rants and raves about money HE SPENT.  That's right, Donbo, you've been on Commission long enough now that this game is more than a little tired.  Shut up and get the job done. 

Jolly is a good man, but I have take a shot at this kind of thinking:

Jolivette said it’s unfair to play “Monday morning quarterback” with the Commission’s decisions in recent years.

“You need to be there at the time the contract was signed to see what was available,” Jolivette said. “And you can’t use the economic times that we’re in now to say, ‘Look at what you can get it at now versus what you got back then.’ Times were different and prices were different.”

Jolivette said the county’s reserves had increased to $14 million before the economy tanked. As a result of the poor economy, those reserves have been tapped into for the past three years, he said.

This is the sort of "philosophy" that lacks vision and principle.

The guy who said Commission was "spending like a drunken sailor" when he was on the outside looking in now thinks that we all just had to be there to understand it.  Exactly WRONG.  This county has had a spending problem (as Roger Reynolds frequently points out) for quite some time and the principled leader keeps some dough in a rainy day fund.  Butler County bought a Navy, Horse Cavalry, and an Air Force for starters.  admitting these things has to be the first step towards fixing it.

Thank God we have at least one elected official who gets it, the afore-mentioned Roger Reynolds:

“My concern for the 2011 budget is to ensure we have spending below revenues, approved spending below estimated revenues,” Reynolds said. “I have a significant concern that over the past two years we’ve continued to spend more reserves than we should be as opposed to cutting the expenditures.

“And now we’re in a position with fewer options than we would have, had we been more disciplined over the past couple years in cutting expenditures.”

Reynolds said he’s done more than voice his concerns; he’s tried to lead by example. Since taking over the auditor’s office, Reynold’s has cut the department’s budget by 35 percent.

When you discover where that 35% went, you will be outraged.  Because that 35% didn't get saved, Commission spent it.  Every last dime of it.

MUSICAL CHAIRS

Now we go to the Enquirer and Sheila McLaughlin for the story on the political maneuvering going on now that people are moving to their new gigs.

Clerk of Courts:

On Jan. 12, the central committee will give the nod to one of three people jockeying for the $68,000-a-year-job.

They are Jeff Wyrick, a deputy clerk of courts under Carpenter; Mary Swain, a court administration manager for Butler County Common Pleas Court and the GOP's state central committee woman; and Fairfield Township Trustee Steve Morgan, who runs M & M Fine Used Cars, a family business that his late father started more than 50 years ago.

Publically, Cindy Carpenter has backed Jeff Wyrick in the past because he was her right-hand man and her campaign manager.  It will be interesting to see how long her loyalty lasts...  In this field, Wyrick is probably the least likely to survive the cut, but he is probably the most knowledgeable and experienced candidate.
Swain's interest is a surprise of some sort. But her experience with the courts aside, I find nothing about her that evokes confidence in me that she is capable of leading anything.  The few times I have heard her speak on any issue have been underwhelming.  She has lived in the shadow of Carlos Todd the entire time I was aware of her existence.

Morgan is a fascinating choice and if I had to pick one of these, he would probably get my vote.  He's a business man and has held office.  Good combination of skills and what I have been able to learn about him so far shows that he is the kind of guy that could serve the county well.  If the Butler County GOP is serious about bringing new blood countywide, Morgan ought to be their choice.

Prosecutor:

Infighting between assistant prosecutors Lance Salyers and Jason Philabaum prompted Salyers to quit that job in November and announce that he's running against Philabaum for the GOP appointment, which the central committee will make in February or March.

Philabaum has come under attack by a third candidate, attorney Mike Gmoser, in what Philabaum has called a smear campaign.

According to documents obtained by The Enquirer, Gmoser, an assistant prosecutor in the late 1970s and early 1980s, met privately with party leaders in November and presented them with a letter that accused Philabaum of ethical violations for being paid for work on a civil case while he was an assistant prosecutor.

Philabaum has responded with his own letters to GOP officials, saying he did nothing wrong.

My choice?  None of the above.  Sticking a gun to my head?  Gmoser.  Why?  Gmoser makes all of the right people cringe.  Nothing against Philabaum, who would do well in the position; I just don't like who his friends are...
MIKE FOX

A federal judge brought the smackdown on Mike Fox and denied his motion to dismiss the charges against him.

I got nothing to add to this except that as I have said all along, anything short of prison for Mike Fox is a miscarriage of justice.


JOLLY PACKS UP

Nice story about the "end" of Greg Jollivette's political career (for the moment?)


CATES' FUTURE

I have been hearing rumblings that state Senator Gary cates may leave his post early and join the Kasich administration.  He has been involved in education and has made surprise appearances at the state board meetings.

If I am not mistaken, Cates is on his last term anyway in 2012.  While we still have some time for that to happen, it wouldn't hurt to start thinking about some of the possible replacements.

Bill Coley?  I think he is about to be term-limited in the Ohio House.

 

Tim Derickson?  He just got to the Ohio House, I'd like to see him stay there

Corky Combs? He just made the Policy Committee, but I think he is approaching term limits too and his interest in County auditor awhile back illustrates his desire to figure out what is next

Greg Jollivette? He has expressed an interest in continuing his career and he did mention the Ohio House as a possibility, why not consider the Ohio Senate

Roger Reynolds? Just throwing it out there...but we do need Roger to continue doing God's Work right here in Butler County

Nancy Nix? She should be able to garner the support to pull this off...

I'm just getting started...  If you got ideas, put 'em in the comments.

BUTLER COUNTY: Sales Tax, Sheriff Spotlight, and the Tea Party

Michael Pitman has a story worth spending some time with...

Commissioners are considering a 0.25 percent sales tax increase, which was presented last week, to offset the county’s projected $7 million budget shortfall for 2011. They are meeting today with other officeholders to hash out a plan.

The idea of digging any deeper into the pockets of recession-weary taxpayers didn’t go over well in some sectors of the county. While Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones and the county’s Fraternal Order of Police gave conditional support to raising the sales tax, local tea party officials wanted to remind commissioners that government needs to cut spending before raising taxes.

“I think the commissioners would have to go a long way in convincing the community and lay out the facts and making sure people understand before they increase the sales tax,” said Susan McLaughlin, a Liberty Twp. Tea Party member. “We voted for them to manage the money they have. If that means saying no, then say no.”

Emphasis added. The local Tea Party folks should take notice of Sheriff Spotlight's position and act accordingly... Sheriff Jones is NOT a genuine ally of the Tea Party movement when it comes right down to it.

Lord help me, the DEMOCRAT in this story actually sounds reasonable:

Butler County Democratic Party spokesman Mark Hardig called it disgraceful to consider a sales tax increase.

“Our Republican commissioners promote themselves as fiscal conservatives, but then borrow, spend and tax ,” said Hardig . “After a decade of waste, fraud and abuse, they should not now expect a taxpayer bailout.”

Hardig said he found it ironic that commissioners would take a look at a sales tax hike just weeks after the general election.

“It would have been more honest to put the tax increase to the voters. Let them decide if it’s deserved,” he said.

Let the voters decide if they want a tax hike or not. My position remains the same: More cuts are required to balance this budget. Difficult times require tough measures and certain fiefdoms are going to have to be reigned in...

And Let's all take a moment to focus on newly elected Commissioner Cindy Carpenter...

Butler County GOP executive committee chairman Dave Kern declined to comment on the tax proposal, as did Commissioner-elect Cindy Carpenter because she did not attend Monday’s meeting and did not hear what was discussed.

Carpenter talked about her opposition to a sales tax increase several times on the campaign trail. Last week, when the sales tax was introduced, Carpenter said she preferred to “squeeze out every dollar that we can out of revenues and cut every dollar that we can in expenditures.”

Raising taxes -- particularly without the consent of the governed -- is a still a bad idea...

UPDATE: In a move that surprises absolutely nobody, the Butler County Commission voted unanimously to let Sheriff Spotlight have his way...again.

The voice of reason belongs to the woman from the Tea Party who said:

"I am not for the tax," said Adriana Inman, a member of the Fairfield Township Tea Party. "I believe the people have spoken," she said, referring to the recent election when voters elected many fiscally conservative candidates.

I know I will remember that none of these guys are fiscal conservatives from here on in...

Also note that this meeting took place in the middle of the day while the taxpayers were at work...very slick, guys! I'll remember that too...

BUTLER COUNTY: Another "Expert" Says Raise Taxes

Well, we've heard from yet another expert who says we should raise taxes here in Butler County.  RUBBISH!  Mike Pitman's story includes two other recommendations from the so-called "expert":

One would be a “credit option” where departments that have had significant percentage cuts since 2008 would not be required to make significant budget cuts. The other is an across the board 8.8 percent cut.

That last one is the right move.  If nobody has the "stones" to step up and do what is right and tell Sheriff "Spotlight" Jones that we're still in a recession then everybody is going to have to take the hit...again.

Oh, and Mr. Pitman...feel free to ask Sheriff Spotlight what he would cut if he actually had to make the decisions.  Of course, I encourage Sheriff Spotlight to put on the Big Boy pants himself and run for County Commissioner if he thinks he knows best...

Tax hikes are NOT the answer.  I hope that incoming Commissioner Cindy Carpenter remembers that...  Moreimportantly, I hope she realizes that the is going to have to make the toughest of decisions and the outcome will effect the entire region.

SIDEBAR: By the way, that "credit option" is garbage too.  What that would do is put the county deeper in to debt by kicking the can down the road.  Congress has been doing that for decades, how's that working out for us?