I can't get too excited about Washington County Judge Marilyn Edwards, because she doesn't seem to do much or have the political courage necessary to provide any real leadership. That is still a vast improvement over the arrogance and bad judgment of former County Judge Jerry Hunton. Forcing him to retire is the greatest accomplishment of Judge Edwards thus far, and that might be enough.
One only need to examine the ambulance service fiasco to realize that we are still suffering the bad effects of Jerry Hunton's self-dealing and political bullying by threatening to break every contract for cooperation with the City of Fayetteville if it didn't support and subsidize the no-bid service for rural areas in the county. Or threatening eminent domain to condemn and tear down older homes to make a parking lot. Then there was the no-bid contract to build a private road in Benton County for a well-connected smiley-face group that could well afford to pay for their own driveway.
Now, even the Northwest Arkansas Times understands what was perhaps the biggest blunder of Hunton's entire career in government -- cutting deals for unconstitutional no-bid deals to buy a new building from Tom Terminello, demolish and rebuild a parking deck at the courthouse, and restore the interior of the historic 1907 courthouse. It was too late to stop the building purchase, but local attorney Jim Rose filed and settled a lawsuit against the county and saved the taxpayers at least $2.6 million. The education of County Attorney George Butler, who couldn't read the plain language of the Arkansas Constitution, and the reminder of why we're lucky to be rid of bully boy Jerry Hunton, priceless.
Will the Fayetteville School Board be taking competitive bids for the design and construction of the proposed new high school? If not, then I might be inclined to vote against the millage increase.
ReplyDeleteJudge Edwards needs to step up and speak out to squash the quarry expansions before I'll feel good about having supported and voted for her.
ReplyDeleteI can't get too excited about Washington County Judge Marilyn Edwards, because she doesn't seem to do much or have the political courage necessary to provide any real leadership.
ReplyDeleteThat's a mighty back-handed comment for a woman who's only been in office SIX friggin months.
Maybe she believes the people, via the Quorum Court should have a say.
Take a patience pill or, go outside and play.
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If ya don't like Marilyn, bring back Hunton.
ReplyDeleteGive it time -- when it's time to whup out the can of kick-ass, I suspect Marilyn can find her can with one hand tied behind her back.
As it were.
FWIW - Jim Rose deserves the Man of La Mancha award for '09. He sure didn't make any $$ defeating the parking-deck windmill.
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If you boys are coming here expecting to see me powdering some politician's arse, you are on the wrong blog. Call up their PR flack for a puffy press release. As for Marilyn, I thought I was being kind. After all, I didn't mention the shiny new Dodge Durango, and she comes off pretty good compared with the dickwad she replaced.
ReplyDeleteSt. Ambrose is spot on about Jim Rose. Taking Elwood's advice and going outside to play now. More later after my zazen.
Hunton rushed the parking deck deal because he was too worried about getting it done under his watch. He was afraid Edwards would pull the plug. The deck could have and should have been repaired.
ReplyDeleteMore time should have been taken to seriously explore that option, But Hunton already knew what he wanted-- a big project and a plaque with his name on it.
Maybe we should have put the repairs out for bids. That would have really saved some time, money and trouble.
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ReplyDeleteWell, shizz guyz. Let's make Judge Marilyn more Green Valley compatible and put her in a new Prius. Obviously, Jonah's haunts don't take him to the places a county judge travels. But wait, maybe a LeCar would make Dickson Street natives more civil at the keyboard.
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Judge Edwards might consider using a county pickup whenever she needs to go four wheelin'. Why does the County Judge need a new durango to go from Juneway Terrace to the courthouse? Do any other county officials get their personal take-home vehicles? Do any city officials? Just saying...
ReplyDeleteJonah, does that mean you're going to stick it to Lioneld once in a while? His first six months have been pretty good, but there have been a few important slip ups.
ReplyDeleteZazen is good practice. Makes you better able to proficiently play Daguello and deliver when circumstance requires.
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ReplyDeleteMy Suzuki Sidekick (1995) has done a fine job of getting me throughout Washington county (on-road and off) for several years. To the tune of 165,000 miles so far.
Granted a Durango may be a tad overboard on size and crap gas mileage -- but until American carmakers make something comparable to a Sidekick or an R-A-V, public agencies will continue to Buy American and get Durangos.
Suzuki Sidekick & Geo Tracker Rollover Accidents & Roof Crush Injuries
ReplyDeleteAs more and more young and unsuspecting drivers get behind the wheel of Geo Trackers and Sidekicks, the more rollover accidents with devastating injuries from ejections and roof crush or roof pillar collapse will occur. The higher rollover propensity of these SUVs is the simple fact that they have a high center of gravity. This is directly based on it's short wheel base and track width. When you put 4 people in a Sidekick or Geo Tracker, the maximum load capacity of these SUVs are pushed to the limit. When this happens the center of gravity is raised, as is the chances of a rollover of the Sidekick or Tracker. When a rollover occurs, the roof often will collapse or crush into the occupant zone causing serious head and spinal cord injuries.
Source Rollover Lawyer.com
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Let kirby enjoy his car. He doesn't drive fast and spin around curves.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Jonah, are you going to give Jordan a pass on Ray Boudreaux? Other bloggers have been spanking him for that waste of money but Ray continues to draw big bucks for doing nothing of value for our city.
ReplyDeleteAnd here I sit idly in Wichita, instead of at Drake Field for half of Boudreaux's salary...
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ReplyDeleteYou and 5 kids can smoke your way through a rush-trip to Pleasure Heights if you don't know how to drive it and roll it on the bluffs -- but if you drive a 4-wheel like a 4-wheel you don't go quite that quick.
I had a Jeep CJ long ago. It took 'em from 1943 to about 1983 to figure out that the short wheelbase and high center of gravity rolled jeeps. When people started driving them like race cars, they rolled. Thus, we got the Jeep Wrangler, the Cherokke and the Dodge Durango -- heavy crap four wheelers with lousy gas mileage that are like driving your living room.
When I wanted to drive fast I used my Fiat 850 Spyder or the Dodge Charger 440.
All because people mistook four-wheelers for Corvettes. In the hands of the "right" driver, you can flip a Prius.
If you drive a car, ya gotta know your car. Otherwise you buy a low-slung heavy Lincoln and pay for the gas that moves the crappy aerodynamics.
Love,
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Jonah won't take it to Lioneld because Lioneld knows who Jonah is and friendship is more important that politics.
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