Free Money Day Strikes Sour Note with the Commission

Well this was the big day--groups wanting a handout came knocking at the CC's door.  The first group was the local football team.  Last year they got a $1,000 for some safer helmets.  They were back for more money.

This writer wishes to correct a misimpression that he had that this was money from the hotel/motel tax paid by tourists.  NOT SO!  The source of these funds are straight out of the county commission budget.  In other words,  the CC is financing the Board of Education by providing tax dollars in addition to the money the Board already gets.

It was shocking to find out that our commissioners are taking tax dollars intended for constitutional offices which provide various services to county government.  The money for the helmets comes from various budget items and is less money available to the assessor, the sheriff, the county clerk, the circuit clerk, fire and ambulance service and the county owned hospital.

Wonder what is more important to Bill Beard, David McLaughlin, and Jamie Walker?

You will remember that the CC is planning to move some courthouse records to Charleston because they don't have the space.  BUT THE CC has MONEY FOR FOOTBALL HELMETS.  Some thing is wrong here!

According to one requester, the school board doesn't have the money it needs to provide safe football helmets for the players.  BUT THEY WANT US TO VOTE A LEVY SO THAT THEY CAN BUILD A NEW HIGH SCHOOL.

Is anyone old enough to remember the sheriff who had "panty hose" on the county credit card?

Or when the CC went into the fish stocking business?

Or the two $5,000 outhouses that the CC gave money to a well-purposed group.

Finally, someone got to thinking and figured out that there should be rules to go by.  This snagged three or the four groups who came before the Commission.  

The football team will have to come back in August and ask for their helmets.  The Tucker Foundation will have to return in a new fiscal year for their $2500 request.

The only group with got what they asked for was the Child Youth Advocacy Group which assists other agencies to seize children from their parents and put them in foster homes.  They get $5,000 dollars.