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

[Ross]

Ladies and Gentlemen
Hobos and Tramps
Cross eyed Misquotes
and Bowl Legged Ants
As I stand here before you
and set there behind you
I'm here to tell you a story
I know nothing about

Is this the way we want our local county government to work?
Do we want our local county government giving money away?
They call it allocating still just giving it away.

I don't know about you, but I don't like them giving my tax dollar away!
I pay taxes to support the county not to provide welfare to the cities!
And I'm pretty sure we can guess who will get the biggest share of the FREE money.
Just reread my previous partial post:

I had heard, at the court house months ago of giving County money to some community, so they could fix their streets. Well, I commented, that is not the purpose of County Government money, to give it away! I stated if the County doesn't want the money, reduce the County property taxes and return money to the taxpayers. And then if the communities, towns or cities want to increase their property taxes to get money to fix their roads they could do that. Remember all that?

Well, some time during the last couple of months, I heard that one of the two Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioners was seen and heard at a Howard City Council  Meeting concerning the closure of the Howard Nursing Home. I consider my source a very reliable source but I can't and won't disclose his name. But what he heard was the  Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioners offering County money, my money and your money to try to keep a losing entity open. A bail out just like the Democrat Federal Government did for the banks. She was heard telling them that Elk County had all kinds of money just ask. I understand this person is not a citizen of Howard and therefore in my opinion, she has no more say in Howard City Business than I d0. It appears she was in attendance as an  Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioners offering money she had no business offering. She apparently doesn't understand where the line is drawn? Is that highly educated or what?

It's was assumed the Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner probably had a relative living in the nursing home and it would be inconvenient for her, if her relative was moved to Independence or some other town. Is that a great way for a Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner to do business with your tax dollars. Self serving !

Are our Kon nected Kounty Kommissioners buying some favors ?
Or are our Kon nected Kounty Kommissioners buying recognition ?
Why do they think they were placed in the position of County Commissioner to give money away?

Why do the cities require welfare?
Are they incapable of taking care of their own responsibilities?
Are they incapable of budgeting for their needs?

How about if they drop their city limits and their city councils and become just part of Elk County Government? Especially if they are incapable of budgeting for their own needs. This would relieve the residents of the additional city property tax.

You know like in the suggestions from Elk Kon nected on page one of this thread.    Consolidate and have one central government. And I quote just that portion of the suggestions:

Unified Gov't (w/in the county) to save money and become more unified (do away with city gov't, councils­
(cont.) all centrally located-one managing body) (Big Ideas's)

Then the County Commissioners would have the responsibility of taking care of the infrastructure! !

How's that for an idea?.
No, they wouldn't want do that!
I'm sure they would not want to have to answer to the County Commissioners.

I have another idea, give me some of that FREE money for infrastructure on my little farm.
Infrastructure definition - the basic physical and organizational structures and facilities (e.g., buildings, roads, and power supplies) needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.

My little farm is my enterprise. And my enterprise could use a wind generator and solar cells to make it more efficient and Green, lowering my carbon foot print. Maybe you could give me enough of that FREE money to build an indoor riding arena as well.

Better yet why don't you lower property taxes for everyone and that would permit the cities to raise their property taxes for their residents to fulfill and requirements their citizens are prepared to pay for.
   
Why did I start this post with the beginning of a very old poem?
Why am I talking stupid and posting part of  earlier posts?

Here is why:

I visited the Elk County web site and found something I was not looking for.

WIND FARM PILOT ALLOCATION TO CITIES
The Elk County Commissioners are considering allocating some of the wind farm PILOT money for infrastructure projects in the cities. They would appreciate public input on the matter February 8th at 1:00 p.m. during the Public Comment period or by phone or letter by that date.

You can check it out for yourself at :
http://elkcountyks.org/docs/WINDFARM%20PILOT%20ALLOCATION%20TO%20CITIES.pdf

I hope a lot of people show up at this meeting to voice their opinion about the TWO Kon nected Kounty Kommissioners wanting to be the Welfare Agency for the cities and give them FREE money.

Personally, I think the County Government should stick to County Business and let the Cities stick to City business.

The county has been receiving enough complaints about the county roads and I'm sure they could put more money into that effort before giving away FREE money. Don't you?

Does-Money-Burn-A-Hole-In-Your-Pocket- ?

[redcliffsw]

Looks like the whole country is geared to socialism and tyranny.   I wouldn't be surprised at anything coming from the County Commission in Elk County.  They're Republicans and most Republicans are not conservative.  They just want us to think they are.  We know them as liberals and/or neocons.

[Ross]

Well, I wanted to do this yesterday but a computer problem had to show up.
That forced me to reset the whole computer, Now I have to reload a bunch of programs.

Anyway --- Here I am with my say about yesterdays Elk County Commissioners meeting.

One more crybaby thing first. I get so frustrated with bad hearing and the hearing aids don't help that much. No matter how loud I turn them up, they don't help with the sound pitch I don't here. It really is frustrating.

However I am prepared to pass on what I know.

I am biased, I totally admit that. Please keep that in mind.

The Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioners Meeting
Of 02/08/2015 !

They started out approving the minutes of the previous and moved directly to open forum.
Elk Kon nected Kounty KommissionersShari Kaminska  who is chairperson now stated they would not permit extended speaking and so on. In other words we will censor you ! She also stated that remarks would be on the record !

I just could not fully understand what the first man said (not his fault) so I can't quote him. But he appeared to be a bit frustrated about giving money away.

Then I was called on.

My very first question was, What City Councilman or Mayor has stood here in front of this Commissioners Board and has asked for money?

Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner Shari Kaminska said, "No One."

I then told her, I had heard she had attended a Howard City Council meeting and told the Council she has all kinds of money in the County Government. I then asked her. "Is there was any truth to that?

Of course I got the answer I expected.
Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner Shari Kaminska said, "No."
(I had a very reliable source tell me this is exactly what happened and it was during one of the meetings concerning shutting down the nursing home. I posted this information several posts back.}

I wanted to say, "Thank You Hillary, but restrained myself."

Since no city government officials had no need to come to the County Commissioners and request a hand out, I would have to assume one of three things.
                    1. The City Officials don't need the Money.
                     2. The City Officials ether don't understand or don't like the system and how it works.
                      3. "OR" Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner Shari Kaminska went out of her way and went to the City Officials. (And she did. Explanation coming up a few lines down)

Well people kept expressing their concern about giving away money from the Elk County Government tax coffers to the City Councils tax coffers. Mot in those words.

(And no matter what it is called or what account it is in, it is from the Elk County tax coffers. Don't let them fool you with "P.I.L.O.T.")

Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner Shari Kaminska continued a sales pitch of reasons for giving WELFARE to the cities.  I may not cover them all but :
1. They pay County Taxes too!
  2. We farmers use their roads more than they use county roads.
              (The county roads are there for them to use just the same. Just like the fire department and the Ambulance Service and the Sheriff's Department. We all pay for all of it with our taxes whether we use them ofr not. So this point is moot.)
    3. The farmers tear up the city roads with all their heavy equipment. (Give me a break.)
      4. Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner Shari Kaminska said she lives in Bigsby the ghost Town area and she has to travel to Longton to shop (7 miles ?) or to Howard (14 miles) to shop on gravel roads and that rough on tires.  And she says if we don't fix up the cities roads they might got the way of Bigsby and become ghost towns.And if roads aren't fixed I might have to travel the shorter distance to Fredonia to shop. In my books we are now talking Economic Development and she alluded to that.

Folks throwing money away at a dying community because they elected officials lack the knowledge or ability to budget for repairs to their infrastructure is just that, throwing money away. I don't care who the cheerleaders is. Because if the elected officials have lacked the knowledge or ability to budget for infrastructure then they still still lack the ability today. And the infrastructure will deteriorate all over again.

And at least the City of Howard has a Chamber of Commerce and economic development is the function of such an organization. It is an organization of the store owners and by the store owners. The very people we pay our money to for their merchandise.

Now, let me ask you folks that are reading this. If you had some major hardships could you still pay your property taxes. Most of us I believe have some emergency funds and could do just that, pay our property taxes.But just suppose things got bad enough that you couldn't pay your taxes for say three years. Would Elk County say, it's okay we will bail you out like we did the cities! Can you see that happening? Really can you?
I'm a bit sick and tired of politicians and their OFWELFARE bailouts, handouts and freebies at the expense of the hard working taxpayer. Aren't you?

Well as the meeting went on a person asked what's going to happen when the money runs out? How much of the millions from the last several years have been set aside for future use? Are all the county bills paid off?

Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner Shari Kaminska as about to respond when in walked a county employee and stated that there was $650,000.00 set aside.And that is when County Commissioner Hebb spoke up and said there may have been $650,000.00 at one time now it is down to only $150,000.00 left in that account. And Commissioner Hebb continued to discuss County expenses and debt. We still owe money on road graders and I don't recall what else he said.. But he listed off numerous expensive jobs coming up for the county. Good Jo Commissioner Hebb, we need at least one thinking conservative on the Board.

If we only had two thinking conservatives on the Board, Elk County would be blessed.

Well upon deciding to close the open forum of the meeting Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner Shari Kaminska made a few remarks and she remarked that she had visited with various officials from each of the cities concerning repairing their infrastructures. And she mentioned the WELFARE give away would rum several years. But there was never mentioned of how many hundreds of thousands of dollars she was talking about.
$$$,$$$,$$

Whoa pony, just slow down a little bit there! Didn't Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner Shari Kaminska at the first of the meeting deny going to the cities? So what is the truth "HILLARY" ?

I had to leave the meeting as I had other commitments. However, I received a call right after the meeting informing of some interesting information.

Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner Shari Kaminska's baby of building an EMS out on the Rodeo Grounds at Hwy 160 and 99 cross roads is not going to happen. Their grant request was denied. I know this should make a number of people happy. Especially if they are conservative as it saves the County several hundreds of thousands of dollars. $$$,$$$,$$

So now the Elk County Government will now be talking with Howard about using the old Nursing Home. That nursing home is like a rock wrapped around Howards neck because it really has no real value to Howard, but they still have to pay taxes on it. Hence the rock. If the County Commissioners are smart they can buy it for a song and a dance or have Howard donate it to the county.

Oop my mistake It is only the Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner that have money to give away.

                                                $$$,$$$,$$  FREE MONEY  $$$,$$$,$$


                                                             "GO ELK KONNECTED"

                                                                         OR

                                                              "GO OLD BOYS CLUB"

                                                                         OR

                                                                "GO OLD GUARD"

                                                                         OR
     
                                                                "GO ALL THREE"

                              But really my thought remains the "OLD GUARD" in a "NEW DRESS" !



           

[redcliffsw]

[redcliffsw]

[Ross]

Just reading this weeks Prairie Star page two (2) and the Editor speaking about the candidates, majoring I minor and minoring in major subjects and how can we keep small towns from dying and so forth. And just like the candidates he offers no answers himself. How convenient is that?.

I feel pretty confident in saying we all realize all politicians running for office are lying to one degree or another.

The editors question, "How do we keep small towns from dying?"
I believe that responsibility lies with the cities elected officials. Responsibility of elected officials should be held high and reported on Unbiased, by responsible and unbiased reporters. And the same goes for County Governments, especially Elk County Government. Put all government officials feet should be held to the fire of responsibility.

What are they are their responsibilities?

Do they know?

Of course, I am speaking mainly of Elk County Government but it also applies to all Governments.

Is it an Elk County Government Commissioner responsibility, to turn Elk County Socialist? Or a Welfare Office?

Is it an Elk County Government Commissioners responsibility to give away Elk County Money to the City Governments in Elk County?

Most importantly is it the responsibility of an Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner to go out canvassing the Cities officials asking how much money they want?

Is it an Elk County Government Commissioners responsibility to allow an (NGO) Non Governmental Organization or "Old Guard" or "Good Old Boys Club" to influence the County Governments Agenda?

Well as I continue to read the Prairie Star page 17 "Letters From Our Readers" The writer discuss's how Obama got elected by offering everything free. Folks that is Socialism! What is wrong with that? You, the working person has to pay for all those freebies for people that just don't want to work.  The lady also addresses being a conservative and I commend her on that. To bad we don't have more conservatives on the Elk County Commissioners Board. The lady is quite correct that we need honest people to run for office and I agree. But I'd like to add, people that understand the responsibility and integrity and loyalty to the position and not extend themselves beyond the position. Such extension, beyond the position such as canvassing other government agencies to give money to! Especially without a voted consent of the board itself, is simply self-aggrandizing. The Loyalty would mean focusing on County business and bills and no further. Responsibility and Integrity and Loyalty does not mean, I want to build a big expensive building, so I can have my name placed on a plaque at the building, so I can feel important!

Yes, I am speaking of Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner District 1 Chairman Sharri Kaminska. Who in my personal opinion owes everyone in Elk County an apology for overstepping her boundaries and offering up socialism!

And for Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner District 3  K.R. "Kenney" Liebau you still make a very good yes man on the Board.

And as for "Elk County Commissioner District 2 Gary Hebb" it is good to know we still have a real conservative on the Board, that is interested in County business. We need two more just like you.

Two the other two that feel they need to give County MONEY away, please return my tax dollars first and everyone else's tax dollars, afterall you are basically saying you don't need them.

It is time to vote two more real conservatives onto the County Commissioners Board, isn't it?

Okay who is going to be first to tell me to move if i don't like it?

Who else is tired of tax money being wasted?

There was an elderly lady at the board meeting complaining of high property taxes and rightly so. But the problem is the County gives you a tax break and  West Elk School Board sucks it right up. So, that is not a County problem. So to moving on with another step in this dialog read on.

Remember the West Elk School District Superintendents rant about a petition stopping a sneaky attempt at raising our property taxes and additional 8 mil. They had already raised them 4 mil. Remember how he was going to get back to us with financial information from Topeka? Where is that information?

The extra tax hike apparently wasn't needed. The school has not shut down or cut any spending on sports or elsewhere.

[redcliffsw]

I'm not surprised that two Republicans would defend a socialist view.  It's good that one Commissioner is a conservative who has American principles and that he will stand against the other two who don't.

[Ross]

I have never understood why elected officials think they have a right to steal from one government coffer and give to another government coffer? Are there no ethics or morals left in this country?

I don't understand how the elected elite can sleep at night if they are incapable of running their business as elected officials and budget for their constituents needs.  But that they are willing to give up their ethics and accept other peoples stolen money. I'd like to hear an explanation of how that works for them?

The part about republican is labeled wrong. it should say Conservative!
Because there really is no difference between the two parties.

If I were a part of the previously mentioned trickery, I'd be ashamed to show my face in public.
And that means if i were
"Elk Kon nected"
or
"Good Ole Boys Club"
or the
"Old Guard in a New Dress"

LOL

The business by the Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioner about Busby being a ghost town and that the other cities in Elk County may go the same way is just so much bull and it had nothing to do with roads or infrastructure.

I'd like to suggest reading about Busby and learn why it became a ghost town at: https://esirc.emporia.edu/bitstream/handle/123456789/1313/Richards%20Vol%205%20Num%201.pdf?sequence=4

For the story of Busby please scroll down to the middle of page 25.

Here is just a note from the story that explains why communities become ghost Towns:

When did all this begin and when will it end - this birth and death
struggle? The first question is easier to answer than the second. The first is
a matter of history, and records are still available to give us the answers.
The answer to the second question is a matter of conjecture. There seems
to be a universal law involved: That which serves tends to survive; that
which fails to serve disappears. The institution of feudalism which dominated
Europe for hundreds of years, the trade guilds of olden times, the
order of nobility, the crown and coronet, the soothsayer, the medicine
show - all these and more have disappeared or are rapidly going because
they lost their value of being. The stagecoach gave
way to the railroad; the horse-drawn carriage to the automobile; the
candle and kerosene lamp to electric lights. Even the horse, the faithful
servant of man for centuries has been supplanted by new inventions. These
passed not because they did not serve, but because some other could serve
better. It may be that the small town has served its day. On the other hand
it may be that the small town may find a way of serving better. Who
knows~

But just to go another step I have read in official papers at West Elk USD-283 that the overall residency of Elk County diminished as all the small farms were bought up and became part of a larger farm and family's left the county.

I have also been told after fires burnt the south side of Moline businesses that the merchants collected their insurance settlements and lleft rather than rebuild.

So was it roads and infrastructure that is basically the death of Elk County or is it perhaps attitude.

Will roads and infrastructure bring people to live in Elk County, if there are no jobs for them to make a decent living?

Will roads and infrastructure bring people to Elk County to shop in the stores?

Who is kidding who?

[redcliffsw]

You're right. 

You wouldn't make a very good Republican or modern Democrat.

Stay right in there.

[Ross]

WIND FARM PILOT ALLOCATION TO CITIES

The Elk County Commissioners are considering allocating some of the wind farm PILOT money for infrastructure projects in the cities.

Sharri Kaminska County Commissioner The statement you posted (above) does not represent the Elk County Commissioners as a whole.

It appears to me to only represent you and possibly "Elk Kon nected" and/or "The Old Guard". .

You as a County Commissioner morally and ethically should not be soliciting the give away of county taxpayers money.

And as you told me during the Commissioners meeting not a single City Mayor or City Councilman or City Manager has come before the County Commissioners Board asking or begging for money.

Yes, you had a yes man setting on the Commissioners Board but even he seemed unsure of himself on this subject.

But, there is also a true conservative on the board whose interest is in County Business and showed true leadership abilities by remaining with in the boundaries of the position he holds.

Where as in my opinion you are like plenty of Federal Government Employees that lack the knowledge of the boundaries provided to them.

It's the attitude --- it's someone else's money --- so I can give it away. Its much like the Elk Kon nected K.R. "Kenny" Liebau attitude, he once said, "His job is to spend money". And I think we all realize it it much more than that.

You both are sounding more like Bernie Sanders the Socialists and Obama the Destroyer and Elk Kon nected the Non Governmental Organization that came into being because of the Wind Farm wind fall. Everyone appears to be greedy and want that money. Some to put a feather in her hat, a feather of importance, others for their own pleasure. County money is not for those kinds of things.   If you have a desire to give money and be a philanthropist I'd suggest you go to your own account and leave the county accounts alone. You were not elected to county office to be philanthropists with taxpayer money, plain and simple.

Now a little wake up call for you the money's collected instead of full taxation are called P.I.L.O.T for that reason alone. It represents only a small share of what their property taxes would actually be. Consequently they end up in the county coffers just like my property taxes, and everyone else's property taxes do.
Only we pay our fair share.

The Wind Farm just paid $3.2 million property tax to the state and based on that --- our beloved county would be getting considerably more than that. From my 2015 Elk County Real Estate Tax Statement the State charges 1.5 mil and Elk County charges 103.491 mil and the West Elk USD-282 charges 36.26 mil and 20.00 mil for a total if 58.26 mil.  For those that don't know 1 mil is 1/10 of a penny. In other words a piece of property worth $100,000 X 1.5 mil equals 150,000 or $150,00. I give you the numbers so you can do the math and prove to yourself.

Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioners Sharri Kaminska apparently reads this thread! Because I mentioned here that they could return the taxpayers money's by lowering County Property taxes and that would allow the cities to raise property taxes on their citizens to take care of their own infrastructures. Don't you think this would be fair to everyone?

ARE ANY CITY OFFICIALS ADMITTING THEY DON'T HAVE THE EDUCATION OR ABILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR CITIES BUSINESS?

Well good ole Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioners Sharri Kaminska said most of the money for lowering property taxes would go to people that don't even live here. So as I see it, apparently fairness is not one of her qualities. The whole idea is her way and that's it. Or is it the
"Elk Kon nected" or "The Old Guards" way?

IF IT IS EITHER ONE OF THEM YOU KNOW IT IS NOT ETHICAL.

I'm only trying to find some resemblance of scruples from two Elk Kon nected Kounty Kommissioners Sharri Kaminska & K.R. "Kenny" Liebau  concerning their plan to turn Elk County Government into Elk County Welfare and  Elk County the Socialist County.

If they have any scruples the County Commissioners will stay out of the City's Governments business and let the elected officials run their business as business men and women and budget for their needs. The City of Howard could have budgeted for the swimming pool a small amount every year for the last three decades and then today they would not have to be begging for money.

On closing, I'd just like to ask, if financial hard times hit you personally for a few years and you could not pay your property tax, do you believe the County Commissioners would give you a few thousand to pay of your property taxes? Doesn't the County owe you more that a ta,ta we will sell your property to collect the taxes.  And you paid property taxes for four decades and that's all you get is a ta,ta ! And you should have minded your business better and budgeted for emergencies.

IT IS NOT A COUNTY COMMISSIONERS JOB TO RUN AROUND TO CITY OFFICIALS OFFERING FREE MONEY.

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE COUNTY HAS LARGE LOANS TO PAY OFF AND EXPENSIVE PROJECTS TO PAY FOR !

IS IT?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?