It's all politics

Shaky morale

After two civil-rights lawsuits were filed by Washington County Road Department workers against the county judge and supervisors, I've gotta believe the morale among the 100 or so employees in that division has got to flatter than fresh-laid asphalt.

George Braswell and Brandon Holland both allege in their suits that they experienced harassment and retribution after they supported County Judge Marilyn Edwards' opponent during the last election.

I suspect there are others in the county's hardworking road department who'd like to speak publicly about their work experiences. But they won't. There are interfering practical matters such as mortgages and needing a job to provide for families.

It's always much easier to simply swallow frustrations and anger rather than make issues of situations and problems that too often come back to haunt the complainer. That's true in most of life, isn't it? Says something about the reality of "free speech" in our nation too.

The county isn't saying much about these suits thus far. Its legal representative, County Attorney Steve Zega, says he will wait for the courtroom to formally respond to the allegations.

Meanwhile, I'd be surprised if feelings in the county's road department at this point aren't as shaky as, well, I'll say a poorly constructed bridge.

Passed to governor

Hopes for a permanent ban on adding any more waste-generating hog factories in our precious Buffalo National River watershed have been passed to Gov. Asa Hutchinson's desk for consideration after the state unanimously approved another temporary six-month ban on such places.

The Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission wisely and unanimously agreed (despite lobbying by special pork-barrel interests) to approve a third 180-day moratorium.

These temporary bans were prompted and pushed in the past few years by environmental interests to preserve this national treasure. The first was implemented last April. And you can rest assured that plenty of Arkansans and others across America have remained upset that our state ever allowed Cargill Inc. of Minnesota to begin supplying and supporting C&H Hog Farms in this ecologically fragile watershed.

It's not as if Cargill didn't have at least six million other more suitable sites for a place that generates millions of gallons of raw swine waste to be regularly spread alongside and near a major tributary of the country's first national river.

Although this third ban still allows C&H to continue operating (and leaking up to 5,000 gallons of raw waste daily into the watershed), our state waits to see how the governor will respond to the request for a permanent ban on allowing other potentially catastrophic polluters into the Buffalo basin. One factory is far more than should be there already, if you ask me (or even if ya don't).

I only hope Hutchinson meant exactly what he told me in Harrison during the campaign when he said, as governor, he would do "whatever is necessary to protect the Buffalo."

Three chiefs?

Back now to tremendously tumultuous Tontitown, the latest episode in that endless soap opera called city government there is the mayor may hire what would be the third police chief since January.

While I doubt that sets a world record, I believe an average of one chief every eight weeks with a third possibly on the horizon could well be for Northwest Arkansas, maybe even our entire state. Perhaps an appropriate trophy (featuring three badges) is in order.

If it hasn't already happened, I read recently that Mayor Paul Colvin, who fired the last chief without sufficient public explanation after that chief's predecessor had resigned in disgust, could soon be responsible for hiring yet another.

Colvin was quoted: "The city itself, I think, would look better if we officially appointed somebody."

I'm left darn near speechless by that comment ... a third chief making the city look better at this point? Really? Maybe image enhancement could have been considered before the last two top cops departed. Just a thought.

Alderman Tommy Granata told a reporter: "It's strictly the mayor's call." Granata made it clear he believes the council needs to shy away from that deal altogether. Besides, mayors do have the legal power to appoint and remove any department head.

That power has, among other consequences, led to a lawsuit filed by former Chief Kristopher Arthur against the city for wrongful termination by Colvin. The mayor has yet to publicly explain why that happened. And there was a similar suit settled last year that cost the community some $105,000, filed by a former employee fired by previous Mayor Jack Beckford.

The only thing holding Colvin back from hiring the third chief (I predict will be Capt. Joey McCormick, who's already been acting in the role) apparently is because the council recently altered the qualifications for the position. Seems they've dropped the requirement for a bachelor's degree, making it a preference. I'm thinking maybe they should have gone the other way and required a joint degree in civil-rights law and self-defense.

That requirement might make the city look better.

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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at mikemasterson10@hotmail.com.

Editorial on 05/03/2015

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