To the Editor:

I recently attended the Jackson County Board of Commissioners meeting specifically to apologize to Commissioner Charles Elders. 

I was appointed to the DSS (Department of Social Services) Board last year. The commissioners voted to combine the Health Department with DSS this year and the commissioners offered me a seat on that combined Health Services Board.  

From the very first meeting — there have been three meetings — complaints have been logged ad nauseam and ad infinitum regarding the reasons for the commissioners’ decision. In fact, one board member made a motion to have the county manager request from the commissioners a written explanation for the merger of the two departments.  

The commissioners declined to submit a letter, so the new Health Services Board member that submitted the original request made a motion to withhold consent on hiring a director for the combined departments “until after the November elections.” 

I felt as if I was hijacked. I thought I would be serving on a board that would help people, not serving on a board that wanted to usurp the powers of the elected board of commissioners. The newly formed Health Services Board is not an elected board. The county did not have an opportunity to vote on those appointments. The Jackson County Board of Commissioners, however, were elected by the people of the county. That is a political move pure and simple. 

However, I was having trouble with how to respond to the motion — should I say “aye” or “nay?” I said aye. Upon reflection, I determined I made an error in that vote. 

The commissioners’ vote to combine DSS and the Health Department was a 3 to 2 split along party lines. The reason the combined board member made the motion to forestall the hiring of a new combined board director until after the election was a political move, hoping to put a liberal in Commissioner Charles Elder’s seat in November so that the liberal could dissolve the union. She has already stated she will do that if elected. 

The Asheville Citizen Times on Sunday, Aug. 19, had a column by John Boyle on Buncombe County’s government scandal for, I quote, “a lack of oversight.” The federal indictments against former Buncombe County Manager Wanda Greene, et al, are still coming in. The column from Boyle further states, speaking of Green: “… it looks like she had no qualms about misleading commissioners, county officials and the media, or intimidating underlings into not asking a lot of questions, all the while commissioners adored her.”  

I am not impugning either Jackson County’s manager or the current two directors of the Health Department and DSS. I, personally, have admiration for these three people. Yet, in light of what is happening in Buncombe County, why in the world would anyone push away more oversight in Jackson County? The contention is because it creates a new position of director over the combined departments. 

Yet, isn’t that what the left always seeks, an increase in government jobs? Bill Clinton heartily approved such events, as does the Democratic Party. Why? The reason for these shenanigans is to try to dislodge Charles Elders from his seat on the county commission. Elders is one of the finest men in this county. He cares a great deal more about service to those in need than do those jockeying with politics. 

Elders would like to see the new Health Services Department become more efficient and cost saving. Other counties have reported this came about for them, according to some of the other commissioners. It doesn’t necessarily mean it would for Jackson County, but more oversight is a good thing. I don’t have to ask Buncombe County officials to know that. 

I apologize to you, Charles Elders, for falling into that political trap. I volunteered to serve on the DSS Board and Health Services Board to give back to this wonderful community. I did not expect to be pressured into this political mess. Shame on those who try to jam politics down people’s throats.

Just as an aside, please, when you say, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” think a little about what you have just said. The ad nauseam part comes in here. I have heard this said on this issue until I gag. You need to buy a horse and buggy then, because that mode of transportation was never broken. Thank you, I like improvements, I’ll take the car.

Deborah J. Stanley

Sylva