Politics at the courthouse has again degenerated into a 2nd grade playground fight. Since the democrats took control of the Board of Commissioners and a majority of the row offices in Schuylkill County at the begining of the year, finger pointing and name-calling have become the norm. In the latest episode in this melodrama, Commissioner Francis McAndrew called Ryan Township Supervisor Champ Holman “a loser”. Why? Because Holman dared to correct the democrat Commissioner on the proper procedures to procure a variance for the pre-release center. Very classy.
According the Pottsville Republican and Herald, McAndrew’s ignorance on zoning matters led him to blame Ryan Township for the delay in construction of the much hyped new prison when in fact the real reason for the delay is that the only entity with authority to seek a variance from Ryan Township, the state Department of General Services, has failed to ask for one.
“They’re [McAndrew and Chairwoman Mantura Gallagher] acting like the gang who doesn’t shoot straight,” said Holman. “They are basically lying to the public [when blaming Ryan Township for the delay].” Meanwhile Holman, who also works as Chief of Staff to State Sen. James Rhoades (R-29), merely attempted to set the record straight and point the confused Commissioners’ on the right track. For that, McAndrew responded to Holman by calling him “a loser”.
Is this how a Schuylkill County Commissioner is supposed to act? When he is wrong and lacks the appropriate amount of knowledge to make an educated statement on a topic, resort to childish name-calling? I don’t think so.
The democrats were swept into office last year on the coat tails of many promises, chief among which was to restore civility and integrity to county government. However, like with most of the other campaign promises posed by democrats in this area, the Commissioners have failed to live up to their own words. Is frequent courthouse infighting, name-calling by county executives, and rampant nepotism democrats’ idea of “civility and integrity”? Apparently, which means 2011 can’t get here soon enough.
