Library Bond Part II-- Talk to us, damnit!

James Humphreys, candidate for the Weber County Commission seat currently held by Jan Zogmaister,  had a note on Facebook that he'd been endorsed by the state auditor.

Wow, the auditor?

OK, he was happy, but being concerned about events of late I felt a need to chime in about his feelings on the Weber County Library bond election, which current commissioners Bell and Gibson seem intent on not following.

Statements last week by Commissioner Bell that the election didn't really count because it didn't get a majority of all registered voters raised a storm of scorn, and for good reason. The argument was legally and morally idiotic. If you go to the Standard-Examiner's letters to the editor page you will find a lot of other letters that agree.

In my previous blog on this issue I published the letter  I sent to Commissioner Bell. To his credit he called me, we had a lovely chat. I don't think I changed his mind but I did come away feeling that he is sincere in wanting to do best by his own lights. He said he is willing to talk to people, he answers all calls and emails.

"So don't just announce stuff," I told him. "Talk about things with us before you make a decision."

If the paper's coverage of his stand isn't up to his standards, I told him, the paper is good about publishing op-eds by public officials.  He should send them one, explaining his stands, his goals, his feelings. Heck, send several. They let Brad Dee publish weekly during the Legislature, why not a monthly County Commission roundup.

What we got, instead, was a tirade by Commissioner Gibson in Wednesday's paper covering a speech Gibson gave Tuesday at a public event. You can read it here (click) but essentially he's miffed that he and Bell are having their decisions questioned.

He really ripped the Standard-Examiner, which is odd because the Standard-Examiner has consistently supported his stand on this.  It opposed the bond issue and has urged restraint since. Several editorials, linked in the story, say exactly what he has been saying.

The paper's crime, I suspect, was allowing anyone to criticize Gibson in its pages. Shouldn't it shut that sort of thing up?

So Gibson just peed all over a natural ally.

Commissioner Gibson, can I loan you my copy of Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People"? I suspect "Pee on your allies" is NOT a chapter heading you will find there.

I told Bell that I don't have a problem with the county commissioners studying the bond as it goes out, making sure all projects are bid properly, built in budget, and generally handled properly. That's the commission's job.

I also told him if he needs a better way to get his word out he should get one of the computer-savy guys the county employs to show him how to set up a Weber County Facebook page and start discussing these things with the public BEFORE decisions are made. That way folks feel they have input, he might actually hear better ideas and have his own ideas respected, everyone comes away happier even if they don't agree.

In that vein, as I said, I saw Humphrey's post on Facebook and, feeling snarky, raised the library bond question and he actually answered me. I answered him back, here's our exchange:

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  Charles Trentelman how does he feel about following the results of an election?

  15 hours ago · Like
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  Charles Trentelman can he take a little criticism from the press and public without having a hissy-fit?

  15 hours ago · Like
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  James Humphreys Charles, obviously, in my mind and I think the minds of most we have to follow the results of any election. You are clearly referring to the Library bond. We voted and it passed. The limits of the bond tell us how what properties need to be improved, in what time line and how much we may borrow to the max to accomplish the improvements to those properties. We can and will do them all. Will we borrow 45 million to do them, I am thinking not! From my perspective, we need to look at how we accomplish the goals and vision of the library board at the most reasonable cost. If I were a betting man, I think the size and scope of 1 of those projects will be reviewed.
  
  My positions are public, my website is very clear. Most delegates agree with me, some have not, and so I will not win those votes.
  
  I beleive one can disagree without being disagreeable.

  9 hrs · Like
• 

  Charles Trentelman James, thanks for the thoughts -- I don't have a problem with looking at all the projects on the library bond as long as the long-term needs of the library are met -- the larger project you refer to, I suspect, is the Roy library -- keep in mind that is not only supposed to be a new library, similar in scope to Pleasant Valley in Washington Terrace, but the new headquarters for the library system. These things need room, same as your commission offices.
  
  As to other things, as I told Commissioner Bell the other day, my biggest problem is the apparent attitude of the commission that it can spring decisions on the public without debate or discussion -- the decision by Bell to say that he felt the bond election's announced intentions didn't count because the bond didn't get a numerical majority of registered voters was not only legally unsound but completely out of the blue. I try to keep up on things and had no clue he was thinking that, and there he was saying it was policy. 
  
  Commissioner Gibson's statements in Wednesday's paper at the furor Bell's remarks caused puzzled me. The commission blind-sided the public and is angry that the public reacted as anyone would who has been blind-sided?
  
  You are absolutely right -- we can disagree without being disagreeable. That starts with respecting each other -- and elected officials treating the electorate as intelligent people who deserve to have issues discussed with them before decisions are made is one way you do that.
  
  Thanks for listening.