Elk Konnected Hand out at County Commissioners meeting on 4/25

[redcliffsw]

We've seen stuff like this before.......   Patriot, you're hitting the nail right on the head.

[Wilma]

Patriot:  What is your purpose in posting Charlie Durbin's resume?  Are you trying to show Elk County what they lost when he decided to locate elsewhere?  Or are you telling Elk County that no matter what they do or who they employ, they are not going to succeed in anything they try?  Are you or are you not an Elk County booster?

[Diane Amberg]

Red, what "stuff" and what nail? Another black cloud? I thought the clock was a great idea. Do you know just as there are people who travel to take photos of water towers and light houses there are people who take photos of interesting public clocks? If they had a place to stay ya might catch ( or have already caught) a tourist or two.

[Patriot]

Patriot:  What is your purpose in posting Charlie Durbin's resume?  Are you trying to show Elk County what they lost when he decided to locate elsewhere?  Or are you telling Elk County that no matter what they do or who they employ, they are not going to succeed in anything they try?  Are you or are you not an Elk County booster?

If you were following the context Wilma, you would have deduced that Mr. Durbin was 1) Associated with the foundation about which Ross inquired, and 2)  Perhaps I'm pointing out that resume fluff doesn't necessarily produce comparable results.  As to his relocation, it should be noted that Mr. Durbin also served as the county economic development coordinator for several years and that nothing spectacular was generated during his tenure now he's taken all his talent elsewhere.... and the sad song continues.

Perhaps red can put the following phrases in perspective for you: 

No matter where you go, there you are.  If nothing changes, nothing changes.  And just who the hell is driving the bus?

Or perhaps this computer analogy fits:  Garbage in, garbage out.

Or maybe this:  The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over while expecting different results.

See any parallels to the last 20 or so years in Elk County?

I'm a supporter of Elk County, but I won't support doing the same crap that has been showing no significant results for years....like spending scarce tax dollars on cosmetics, applying last minute quick fixes to problems that should have been dealt with years earlier, handing money to every Tom, Dick & Harry who comes in with a hand out for taxpayer dollars for this or that project, sending every upstart who needs a block filled on their resume to this convention or that retreat, keeping people on board who don't even realize what constitutes a debt, refinancing $20,000 payments so the taxpayers can pick the added interest or to cover up budget shortfalls that might expose mismanagement, allowing government officials to negotiate deals that result in million dollar windfalls to their immediate families, interrupting a school superintendent's contract mid-term just to give them a substantial raise during bad economic times, or enforcing undocumented rules that unwisely require savings of 10% or more before making non-local procurements (a penny saved is a penny earned), or making a priority of looking for every public grant possible to steal other taxpayers monies just to cover years of local mismanagement, or silently accepting a community that manages to make visitors feel like leprosy cases and new residents feel like the redheaded stepkids (no matter how rich or poor they are) all the while thinking that a new school building on the highway is gonna bring in new families by the truckload... and the list goes on. 

Yes we need change, it's the kind of change we disagree about.  If you want change, put down the broom & homemade signs.  Look first to those you've entrusted to make that change.  Get a county manager in place so every department head has a full time focal point with the authority to make important decisions without a consensus of three and so they don't have to take 'the hot seat' before a commission who's only on site twice a month.  If you aren't getting results, find some folks who will change the status quo and can get results, then fire the ones who can't or haven't. 

The change we need first is one of attitude.  The next changes we need are changes of process.

Hope that helps....

Oh, Diane, nice story, but 'snagging' a tourist or two ain't gonna do much.

[Ross]

We've seen stuff like this before.......   Patriot, you're hitting the nail right on the head.

Ditto. You can pretend all you want and that is all you have. Overspending and pretend.

[Ross]

Red, what "stuff" and what nail? Another black cloud? I thought the clock was a great idea. Do you know just as there are people who travel to take photos of water towers and light houses there are people who take photos of interesting public clocks? If they had a place to stay ya might catch ( or have already caught) a tourist or two.

Diane come on. What does an occassional clock photograper do for the overall economy of a county. Or are we talking about the whole county or just the little town of Howard.

[Ross]

The change we need first is one of attitude.  The next changes we need are changes of process.

Patriot I Agree with you attitude, attitude. Attitude is everything. Pretenders don't help attitude. Writing letters to pat themselves on the back is the ultimate.

[Wilma]

So it is the same old story.  Elk County is incompetent of doing anything constructive so we shouldn't even try.  But why place the blame on one person who has moved on?  I notice that Mr. Durbin's replacements haven't accomplished much either.  Is it them or is it the unresponsiveness of the county?  If you are saying that what we need to do is overthrow the government and put in new commissioners, because, ultimately, these decisions are theirs, why don't you just say so and leave out the various unelected underlings?

Is Mr. Durbin the only one responsible for no progress in the past 20 years?  I still don't understand why you chose to post his resume.  I can only hope that someone that reads that resume realizes that they can use his talents and gives him an outstanding job at an enormous salary.  Then your post will have accomplished something.

[Ross]

So it is the same old story.  Elk County is incompetent of doing anything constructive so we shouldn't even try.  But why place the blame on one person who has moved on?  I notice that Mr. Durbin's replacements haven't accomplished much either.  Is it them or is it the unresponsiveness of the county?  If you are saying that what we need to do is overthrow the government and put in new commissioners, because, ultimately, these decisions are theirs, why don't you just say so and leave out the various unelected underlings?

Is Mr. Durbin the only one responsible for no progress in the past 20 years?  I still don't understand why you chose to post his resume.  I can only hope that someone that reads that resume realizes that they can use his talents and gives him an outstanding job at an enormous salary.  Then your post will have accomplished something.

I believe rhat Patriot was pointing out all the talent and ability that Mr. Durbin possessed but took those tallents and apparently decided to move on for whatever reasons.

I do not believe it was menat as a slam to show all that talent and knowledge.

[readyaimduck]

Patriot.
Whilst your idea and thoughts are good, and people as well as the obvious commisioners disagree...I do have to agree to a point with your idea.
Please rememeber back as a kid:   What the elders said was true, and you will obey.  And now you are saying "they are self serving???"

Also, if one is put on the Comissioner's hot seat....it is for a reason:    1.  they defied the couty's policies; 2.  Someone is out to get them and wants a fair stance....which is a cowardly way in my mind; or, 3.  refer to #1.

You all voted them in, and now you all reap your wishes.....Fairy tales are just that...."I think I can..I think I can..."
Not to butt heads here, however it seems there is a lot of turmoil over a couple of instigators.   hmmmmm
Ready