To the Editor:

Have you noticed when officeholders (elected or unelected) are attempting to wiggle out from responsibility for some scandal they always say “to the best of my recollection …?” Despite the statement that “I do not believe anyone shirked their responsibility,” all of these (and more) pronouncements are so much gobbledygook coming from the Jackson County manager. He can’t hide the fact that it has always been (and still is) his job to know what his department heads are doing and to take appropriate action by voice (face-to-face is best) and memorandum to insure that they not only know what their job duties are, especially regarding enforcement of county ordinances, but to make sure that they perform these mandated duties.

The evidence strongly suggests that this minimum level of management skills has not been performed by the county manager for some time. Perhaps never. And he’s putting $10,000 a month of yours and my money in his pocket for over four years now — laughing all the way to the bank!

I laughed out loud several times as I read The Smoky Mountain News piece (“Jackson to contract audit of permitting department”, SMN, May 27, 2015) about how the chairman and other commissioners were desperately trying to assign blame to the chosen scapegoat (Tony Elders) despite the fact that the county manager verbally claims that the responsibility for enforcement of the mountain hillside and development ordinance hasn’t been assigned to anyone, ever.

The latest round of political chicanery which erupted upon news of this latest scandal breaking strongly indicates to me that the chairman is worried about this latest embarrassment sticking to him and derailing his grandiose future political aspirations. I would be worried, mister chairman, as you “doth protest too much, methinks” in that your casting false aspersions upon Elders by intimating that the audit that you’re going to spend perhaps $50,000 of taxpayer money on is not an investigation (when it really is) but also by using this as an attempt to misdirect and cover up your responsibility for not insuring that the county manager is actually doing his job. This is an exercise in juvenile political gamesmanship, ultimately futile, and certainly fiscally irresponsible.

Upon learning that one or both of the department heads (Green and Elders) weren’t performing their duties regarding the hillside and development ordinance, the county manager should have immediately determined just exactly who was responsible for enforcing the ordinance, spoke to both of the department heads face-to-face, and sent both a memorandum in regards to how the manager’s policy. But no, it doesn’t seem that this minimum level of management was performed.

The chairman of the county commissioners is also to blame for not ensuring that the county manager was doing his job. Oh well, what is new there? 

This is common sense government? I don’t think so. But not to worry there will be even more exciting uncommon scandals to come and even more comedic entertainment provided to Jackson County political observers. You can’t make this stuff up. It’s the “greatest show on earth!” Which side are you on?

Carl Iobst

Cullowhee