Dear Commissioner Ronald
Williams
I trust we are both with the Governor
Dear Commissioner Williams:
I am in receipt of administrative assistant Penny
Stanley's emails regarding your wish to meet with me at
the county commission offices this week.
Long time Columbia County Commissioner, Ronald Williams,
makes a point.
I regret that I will not be able to meet with you. I
am presently dealing with two sick goats, one who's
nipple and half an udder has rotted off, another with a
cyst in one udder and a case of mastitis, a donkey with
a bum leg, and a horse with a cough that just won't seem
to go away. Life on the farm can be interesting.
The purpose of your meeting is not clear and as you
know, I like to be prepared. I think a meeting at this
time would be counterintuitive.
You have already
challenged me to a fight during a county commission
meeting. It would probably not be in my best interest to
meet with you alone to discuss what may be a contentious
subject for you.
I believe that you are concerned about future county
commission meetings and the rights of those speaking
before the board. In that regard I respectfully submit
the following:
- I have read the commission's rules of procedure
for board meetings. You voted to approve them. I
presume you know and understand them. I do.
- I have read the Attorney General's opinions
regarding public meetings. I don't know if you have,
but according the County Attorney's billing records
of the Commission and every other agency he
represents in Columbia County, he has read them
about ten thousand times. If you have any questions
regarding the AG's opinions, I suggest you contact
Mr. Feagle.
- I have read the relevant portions of the Florida
Statutes and understand them.
- I am a life long student of the Constitution of
the United States and the Bill of Rights. I gave up
a student deferment sometime after the Bay of Pigs
and crawled over H-bombs to protect us from folks
who really had weapons of mass destruction and
wanted to take away those rights. I value those
rights -- I hope you do.
- Regarding the Bill of Rights I
respectfully refer you to the First Amendment, the
Fourth Amendment, and the Fifth - Fourteenth
Amendment(s).
Governor Crist set the bar
Governor Charlie Crist.
(orig
photo)
Commissioner Williams, Governor Crist set the bar
after his election, when he said he will impose a higher
code of ethics for state officials and make every agency
run a top-to-bottom inventory of ways they can be more
open and responsive to the public.
I am hoping that during your tenure as Board Chairman
you will do the same for Columbia County.
Additionally, during the Governor's inaugural address
he said, ''There are some in government who seek to
elevate themselves with complexity and jargon ... This
is the people's government and clear, plain language
will be used to make it open and transparent to all."
I hope that you will try and make Columbia County
"open and transparent to all."
The Governor concluded his address, "Finally, we must
continue to strive to put government in the service of
the people. Of the people, by the people and for the
people-powerful words of Abraham Lincoln. Our
Constitution requires that our government be open and
transparent, and under my administration it will be like
never before."
I hope and pray, that during your tenure as Columbia
County Board Chairman, you will "strive to put
government in the service of the people," and that
Columbia County will be "transparent ... like never
before."
Commissioner Williams, you have taken an Oath to
uphold the Constitution and the Laws. I hope that you
will think twice, act once and honor your oath as a
servant to the Constitution and to the people of
Columbia County. Stew Lilker
Opinion