Early Campaigning

At the recent Hillsboro Festival I noticed several people campaigning already for the primary next spring. Hopeful candidates were out stumping for Magistrate and Prosecuting Attorney. It seems the old saw "I/m tough on crime" is being played like "mom and apple pie". I think the County is already tough on crime and should concentrate as well on being "tough on education about the real and deadly effects of alcohol and drug addiction". "Tough on over prescriptions of opiates". "Tough on education". "Tough on employment opportunities" Simply, there are many other avenues we must look at as well as the criminal court to solve this problem.

Apropos,Commissioner. assertiveness is needed in several areas. Congratulations in establishing the community college. But this leads me to the following questions which I hope you will answer:What about the Durbin conundrum? Will it be a corporation or not?I realize that you may not be active both as a county official and as the towns attorney, but could you just give us some legal insight? One individual is spreading the rumor that the cost of utilities will skyrocket if he is not allowed to be seated as a councilmanI know that to be false, but your statement would reach more people . Is the town government even legal if there is no charter? Who takes care of health and sanitation shortcomings? Who takes over the wastewater facility? Does the money going to the mayor and council remain in the county in case of unincorporation?It should be used for some countywide project such as the wellness center, public swimming pool ,surveilance cameras etc.Another need is simply information ,as you can see.Perhaps you can give us a reference onlocal and county governance.

Frank has the public water system,as does Bartow; GreenBank,has the observatory,school,Library stores,trash disposal; Helvetia gets grants and money for the Swiss theme, Norton has a new water system, new sewage system a state prison,Dailey and East Dailey have businesses, and modern water -sewage systems as does Valley Bend. They get state aid for the Homestead Association which is a local and state attraction. --- all these places are unincorporated. If Durbin becomes unincorporated, then the commission or court would accept the indebetedness,I imagine. The sewage system probably should be operated by a commission of some kind just as the water system is. You cannot make people vote or make them accept Questionable people as their government. To return to amenities, the Durbin corporation in fact inveighs against them: The dog warden formerly would not come there because ""They have a leash law: That no one enforcs it,did not serve as a useful argument for the service. Also, when a policeman is on hand, the sheriff can say," call him, not me."Local hazards to health and well being are not handled by the town at all.Years ago, the town of Durbin was sued by Hinton because of cow hair in its water supply, although the source of the contamination was the tannery in Frank. Again,a count against a corporation. A community can speak with itself by way of a town hall type meeting. The council in Durbin is scarcely a community good because of a lack of education and knowledge about legalities, ordinary fairness,and goodwill.I hope to see a manager type of government in Durbin or a county wide association.

,Norman. Your blog is succinct, timely,logical and wise, Thanks for writing it. Also, I believe that a fourth member of the council is a close relative to the 3 which you mentioned and lives nearby . The situation in Durbin calls for an informed person who knows municipal and county law.I would like to see the money for the mayor and council salaries be used for something beneficial to the whole county or at least the northern part.There was a call for money to establish a wellness center which would be a great use of these funds. The mayor and council raised their own salaries recently, which is verboten,I am almost certain.