After the township board meeting Tuesday night, another board member approached me to talk about my opposition to them bringing back Lee Carpenter, the man recalled from the board by the voters. This conversation didn't go any better than the other two.
When I left the meeting last night I was angry about this conversation, but today I am just sad. The board member asked me about my comment I made online that I would not vote for any of the board members that voted to bring Lee Carpenter back into our government. I confirmed I did state that. This member said they were sad that I would say that after all the work they have done to represent the residents of this township. This board member claimed they are not like the rest of the board members, they are an outsider. Sadly I feel that they are not an outsider any longer, they are now part of the clique that does not represent or serve the interests of the residents.
I stated there was no excuse for bringing Lee Carpenter back, that the township never made any attempt to find another person for the position. This board member then tried to tell me that Lee was only brought back for a temporary "fill in". I asked a fill in for what? Until the 2020 election they claimed. I told this board member that I was very snarkily informed by another township government member previously that Lee would be running again in 2020 to keep his position as township clerk. This board member last evening then snarkily said to me that I should then find someone to run against Lee Carpenter if I oppose him being there. **NEWS FLASH** It is not my responsibility to find someone to run and defeat Lee Carpenter to keep him out of a position he has no right to be in. IT WAS THIS BOARD MEMBERS RESPONSIBILITY TO VOTE "NO" AND NOT ALLOW A MAN THAT HAD BEEN RECALLED BY THE VOTERS TO BE PLACED BACK INTO THAT POSITION WITHOUT THE VOTERS APPROVAL!!
This board member could have voted "No" on bringing Lee Carpenter back into our government. That "No" vote would not have changed anything, they had the quorum to bring their buddy back. That "No" vote though would have proven that this board member was truly there to represent and serve the Bridgeport residents. If enough board members would have voted "No" to bringing Lee Carpenter back, none of this would be happening now. If this or any of the board members don't have the backbone to stand up to the clique, then they are not the board members the residents need. This board member implied that they only voted "Yes" for Lee because it was just temporary and it was the best option they had. These township government officials never even looked at any other options. They never even tried to find another person. This board members excuse that they only voted for Lee Carpenter because it was a temporary fill in position does not pass the smell test either. This board member voted "Yes" first in December of 2018 to appoint Lee Carpenter to the Zoning Board Of Appeals. I have no idea what this board members excuse is for that "Yes" vote. Once Lee Carpenter was recalled by the voters, he does not belong in any position in our township government. Period!
This board member also told me that they had talked to at least one other resident about one month before Lee was appointed on April 2nd as the township clerk, and that this resident agreed it was probably the best option. This comment made me suspect that I was right in my assumption that they had planned on bringing Lee Carpenter back from the very beginning; either from the time that Darlene Miller officially turned in her resignation on March 5th or, possibly, before hand.
The conversation with this board member started out I feel with first a guilt trip about why I am so uncooperative, when they have worked so hard for the residents; then it just went to BS, and I definitely felt it was hostility coming from them towards the end. I was still on the fence about this board member until last night. Now I feel they have definitely gone to the dark side and they have definitely lost any support from me.
When I left the meeting last night I was angry about this conversation, but today I am just sad. The board member asked me about my comment I made online that I would not vote for any of the board members that voted to bring Lee Carpenter back into our government. I confirmed I did state that. This member said they were sad that I would say that after all the work they have done to represent the residents of this township. This board member claimed they are not like the rest of the board members, they are an outsider. Sadly I feel that they are not an outsider any longer, they are now part of the clique that does not represent or serve the interests of the residents.
I stated there was no excuse for bringing Lee Carpenter back, that the township never made any attempt to find another person for the position. This board member then tried to tell me that Lee was only brought back for a temporary "fill in". I asked a fill in for what? Until the 2020 election they claimed. I told this board member that I was very snarkily informed by another township government member previously that Lee would be running again in 2020 to keep his position as township clerk. This board member last evening then snarkily said to me that I should then find someone to run against Lee Carpenter if I oppose him being there. **NEWS FLASH** It is not my responsibility to find someone to run and defeat Lee Carpenter to keep him out of a position he has no right to be in. IT WAS THIS BOARD MEMBERS RESPONSIBILITY TO VOTE "NO" AND NOT ALLOW A MAN THAT HAD BEEN RECALLED BY THE VOTERS TO BE PLACED BACK INTO THAT POSITION WITHOUT THE VOTERS APPROVAL!!
This board member could have voted "No" on bringing Lee Carpenter back into our government. That "No" vote would not have changed anything, they had the quorum to bring their buddy back. That "No" vote though would have proven that this board member was truly there to represent and serve the Bridgeport residents. If enough board members would have voted "No" to bringing Lee Carpenter back, none of this would be happening now. If this or any of the board members don't have the backbone to stand up to the clique, then they are not the board members the residents need. This board member implied that they only voted "Yes" for Lee because it was just temporary and it was the best option they had. These township government officials never even looked at any other options. They never even tried to find another person. This board members excuse that they only voted for Lee Carpenter because it was a temporary fill in position does not pass the smell test either. This board member voted "Yes" first in December of 2018 to appoint Lee Carpenter to the Zoning Board Of Appeals. I have no idea what this board members excuse is for that "Yes" vote. Once Lee Carpenter was recalled by the voters, he does not belong in any position in our township government. Period!
This board member also told me that they had talked to at least one other resident about one month before Lee was appointed on April 2nd as the township clerk, and that this resident agreed it was probably the best option. This comment made me suspect that I was right in my assumption that they had planned on bringing Lee Carpenter back from the very beginning; either from the time that Darlene Miller officially turned in her resignation on March 5th or, possibly, before hand.
The conversation with this board member started out I feel with first a guilt trip about why I am so uncooperative, when they have worked so hard for the residents; then it just went to BS, and I definitely felt it was hostility coming from them towards the end. I was still on the fence about this board member until last night. Now I feel they have definitely gone to the dark side and they have definitely lost any support from me.
I think you are right about from the beginning!
ReplyDeleteI think you are right about from the beginning!
ReplyDelete