SOS - same old ....
It appears that Champaign County Democrats have learned NOTHING from the Deedrich fiasco. Rather than choose an internal qualified candidate (who may not be the right political flavor) , County Dems are now searching across the state to find another DEMOCRAT to fill the position. Since most of the other SoA's do not get their work done in a timely manner for the tax cycle does this mean they going to appoint ANOTHER person that thinks it's OK to delay the tax cycle? An email has been sent by Tony Fabri asking for help in finding a Democrat to fill the Supervisor of Assessment's position. Which is more important - party affiliation or the ability to get the job done?????
I personally do not belong to either party, but the Republicans look better than the Democrats right now on this issue. It should be pointed out that the "GOP mob" (as Tony Fabri refers to the local Republicans) recently allowed a Democrat to be appointed to a Republican slot on the Board of Review. This is the only example of non-partisan behavior that we've seen recently, and the County needs more of it.
"Which is more important - party affiliation or the ability to get the job done?????"
That question is very ironic coming right after the sentence mentioning Tony Fabri, since he was recently appointed county auditor strictly based on his party affiliation. But then again, it's rather ironic to have the head of the local Democratic party serve as the "watchdog" over the spending of the Democratic-controlled county board. Sad, really.
I've seen Tony Fabri's email and I quote, "The previous SoA was the first Democrat ever to hold the position here in Champaign County. The opposition he faced was largely partisan, although a small number of Dems joined the GOP mob in fighting to have him removed. County Board leadership is hoping to find someone who was not involved in that controversy to fill the vacancy. Unfortunately, all of the local candidates (both D and R) were among the group who fought so hard to see the outgoing SoA fired, which is why we're looking outside Champaign County for a candidate with "clean hands"."
First of all, 8 democrats (the number who voted for Deedrich's removal) is majority of County Board Democrats, not a "small number".
I don't buy Fabri's "clean hands" excuse for going outside of the County. County Board members created the problem when they appointed Deedrich and County Board members were responsible for removing Deedrich from office, not "local candidates (both D and R)". Will politicians ever accept blame instead of shifting it to those that don't deserve it?
Those with truly "unclean hands" are the ones that defended Deedrich's three-year tenure of harassment, mismanagement and abuse.
Fabri's phony "clean hands" pretense is nothing more than an example of partisan politics at its worst.
Deedrich was the first SoA in Champaign County who wasn't promoted from within the assessor's office...so Fabri's solution is to find someone from outside the County? The culture of partisan sniping all but evaporated from the Champaign County Board when Fabri and Avery were removed from their leadership positions. Pressure from Frerichs helped establish party affiliation as the #1 qualification for the SoA, and it would be sad if Fabri succeeds in extending that bad precedent.
Why doesn't Kevin "expert on every issue" Sandefur comment on this one? That's not a put down--he really is an expert on everything. Strangely silent on obvious blatant Dem partisanship like this.
We had a perfectly qualified person in the Assessor's office who happened voted GOP in the primary, so the Local 'Den of Dems' put Deedrich in the position============the rest is history. Now the 'Den of Dems' is looking outside the county. Just go NORTH, lots of qualified Dems up there.
"Why doesn't Kevin "expert on every issue" Sandefur comment on this one? That's not a put down--he really is an expert on everything. Strangely silent on obvious blatant Dem partisanship like this."
Thank you so much for the compliment. In all modesty, I must assure you that I am about as far from an "expert on every issue" as it gets, but flattery will get you everywhere. In the present environment of acrimony, there are so few genuine moments of real human kindness, don't you think?
I shall cherish your praise forever, however undeserving I may feel privately. In fact, I've been thinking of having your comment framed, so that I can hang it on my office wall next to the Doctorate of Thinkology presented to me by the Wizard just prior to his departure.
I must be off now to face the day, but I shall do so with a renewed spirit of charity and goodwill for all of mankind, thanks to your kind words. I'm so glad we had this little chat...
Apparently to embarrassed about Fabri's actions to respond. I understand how you must feel Kevin.
"Apparently to embarrassed about Fabri's actions to respond. I understand how you must feel Kevin."
I'm sorry. I was so taken with your laudatory homage that I completely forgot to answer your question about Tony. My sincerest apologies. I assure you that it was a simple oversight, and not due to any embarassment on my part. Surely you must have realized by now that I have no shame whatsoever. :-)
To answer your question, I have absolutely no problem with Tony trying to find as many qualified Dems as possible to apply for this position. In regards to the charges of Dem partisanship, I would simply point out to everyone that this will be a two step process: 1) Solicit applicants; and 2) Make a final choice.
It is both right and proper that a Democratic party chair should seek out and encourage qualified Democratic candidates to apply for the position. I would expect a Republican party chair to simultaneously do the same for his or her constituents. This is to be encouraged on both sides, so that we may have the largest possible pool of applicants from which to choose. What language they may choose in the course of doing so is perhaps debatable, but the mere fact of the email in and of itself should come as no surprise or cause for alarm.
Once the application process is closed, however, the final choice will be made by the full county board, upon a nomination by the board chair. At that point, partisanship should take a back seat to merit, and the most qualified candidate should be selected from among the pool of applicants.
In the interest of full disclosure, I should probably at this point direct everyone's attention here.
WOW Kevin, what a different process from picking Deedrich. Let's see if this really happens.
Thanks for the response, Kevin. Of course I agree with what you posted above, but I was more disturbed with Fabri's ridiculous partisan sniping, as Tapley put it. I think folks are tiring of the hyper-partisan atmosphere in this county that people like Fabri continue to inflame. That's why I was "poking your nest with a stick "above to see if you would actually condemn his comments.
"I think folks are tiring of the hyper-partisan atmosphere in this county that people like Fabri continue to inflame."
AMEN!