Last week I stipulated that we weren’t going to be hanging out on Sherwood Forest, mainly because I was uncomfortable with some unverified accusations. I know of too many disgruntled employees out there who want to take a shot here, there and everywhere at supervisors and the upper ranking management. That is not to say that I can’t read and file away information, however.
The Sheriff seems right on about Rainbow Riding. He says it is a fine charity but that we shouldn’t have to pay for it. He also alludes to a little too much family being involved. I can handle that and I agree. I have done much of this research myself so I am not uncomfortable with much of his findings. Most of it is a matter of public record. The taxpayers of Prince William County should not be footing the bill for Rainbow Riding. Period. The services are a luxury, not a necessity. Wounded Warriors have other resources. Perhaps military funds could help out there rather than the taxpayers.
The Sheriff has now brought up something that does concern me. I understand from the Sheriff that the office staff of Pete Candland is being cheated out of their overtime back pay, accrued before June 5. If this is the case, then it is totally unacceptable to cheat these people. Yes, cheating is the right word. If they were told they were getting money and now they aren’t because of the political GOTCHA thrown by Jenkins and cowardly approved by the rest of the supervisors, then these people are being cheated.
I don’t think I even understand what happened which is cause for alarm right there. I worked for the county a number of years so employee compensation should not be a mystery to me. I understand dollars and cents. If someone starts throwing in chits on me, I start thinking about hanging chads and other things that make no freaking sense. Jenkinsese compensation methods are just beyond my pay grade. PWC needs to follow the law. If Jr. J means comp time then he just needs to say that.
Do I have to file a FOIA? Pete’s People, I will gladly fight the good fight for you if you are getting screwed. You have my email address here and you have my home email address. Let me hear from you from YOUR house. Don’t contact me from the office. I will not reveal my source if you contact me and there are lots of people out there who will verify this.
If the other supervisors have a beef with Pete Candland, take it up with him. Don’t punish his staff. Don’t play games with people’s pay. Pete, if the Sheriff is right and Pete’s People got thrown under the bus, well, remember last summer? I get a little too focused sometimes. I want you, as my supervisor, to treat your staff well. They seem like nice people.
It would appear that the Sheriff’s 15 minutes of fame has slipped away.
Ivan:
It may be true that any notoriety is fleeting, but I have sought not a second of “fame.”
I truly am committed to changing the culture on the BOCS — and soon the PWC School Board.
My desire is hardly to gain any recognition, which is why I remain anonymous.
The Sheriff
I think you are well on your way to making great change, Sheriff.
I am beginning to doubt the veracity of some of the Sheriff’s claims. Why? Well I keep sending him comments and notes and he does not only not answer me, he doesn’t answer anyone. What’s up Sheriff? Are you do important that you don’t have time for we commoners?
Mr. Harris:
You have appropriately called me to repent for my misdeeds. I will try to do better.
The Sheriff
I think the Sheriff’s 15 minute’s of fame is almost over too. While I agree the County support of the Rainbow Riding Center is an abuse of power and out of line, it is hard for me to agree with lines like: “Community Partner” program in Prince William County is just code for the “Friends and Family Taxpayer Money Giveaway Program”. That is just not true.
Anyone who looks into the list each year will see that a great deal of the money goes to Humans Services organizations like ACTS, SERVE, NVFS and yes, the Boys and Girls Clubs. No one is getting rich working at these organizations and no one sitting on those boards is getting paid. For many it is a thankless job. You can say they get to go to “Steak & Steak” dinners (i.e. the Boys and Girls Club) but if you have ever eaten at one of these dinners you know the food is not glamorous (and I am trying to be kind) and most Superivisors would rather be home with their families.
While support of projects like the Wartime Museum can be questioned, they are strategic and trying to make the county a destination for tourism and thus boost the local economy. They just aren’t giveaways making people rich. I don’t believe anyone is getting rich from the Wartime Museum.
I believe the Sheriff’s aim is to get rid of all the community partners. It’s a tea party thing clothed in outrage over a specific abuse, i.e. the Rainbow Riding Center. Get people to cut the Community Partner funding for everyone, off with their heads! I hope I am wrong.
I hope you are too, @Watching. I think you are right about Tea party though and that is one reason I have back out of the Forest. The other reason is my unwillingness to make accusations at people that cannot be proved.
I believe the huge amounts of money that supporters want to go into the War Museum and Rainbow Riding are an abuse of Public funds. I don’t mind a contribution, mind you. I am not howling about the $30k Rainbow gets, for example. I think that is more than generous, but I am not howling. I am howling over the $200k request. I howled over Wally’s attempt at the slide. It is excessive. I am also opposed to paving over an entire parking lot in a rural setting. Yes, I know the school parking lot is paved. Don’t get me started on the school being there either or Don will hit me.
ANYthing that even hints at being tea party mentality is going to set me off also. I believe in balance.
@Moon-howler
I’m with you on this Moon. While I don’t have a good count on how many are served by the academy and I don’t know if Fairfax County is putting any money in the pot. But if the Sheriff is correct In his current accounting, it would appear the academy might get a total of nearly $450,000 of our taxpayer bucks. We have county agencies like the Area Agency for Aging, the Community Services Board, and the Department of Social Services that serve hundreds of Prince William County residents each year and without a doubt they always get shorted at budget time. A concerted effort needs to be made to force the BOCS to reverse their decision. We bitched about Wally Covington’s attempted action–now the BOCS is simply choosing. New methodvforvdoing business the same old way.