tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16784444508282809612024-03-05T03:14:50.309-05:00The Oldham County WatchdogOn Guard for the Residents of Oldham CountyDewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comBlogger179125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-50448106864135916322013-10-15T23:19:00.000-04:002013-10-15T23:19:04.773-04:00Perhaps Another Candidate for Oldham County PVAI recently spoke with Jim Urban, the current director of Planning and Development, about the possibility of him becoming a candidate for Property Valuation Administrator. He advised me that he intends to take the examination necessary to qualify to serve as the PVA. The examination is given in November,<br />
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Urban stated that if he passes the examination he will "consider" running for the office. I am sure that he will have many factors to consider. If he were to remain in his current position, he would become subject to the "Hatch Act" that bars a person from being a candidate for public office at the same time that he/she is serving in a position in which federal funds are expended and the position has any control over the funds.<br />
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If the office of the Property valuation Administrator receives any federal funds, Barbara Winters could also be subject to the "Hatch Act". However, I do not have any knowledge that it does receive federal funds.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-82147534183674947742013-10-08T16:55:00.000-04:002013-10-08T16:55:51.359-04:00JUDGE DAVID VOEGELE TO SEEK REELECTION
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In an announcement that will come as a surprise to nobody
Judge David Voegele advised me yesterday that he will seek reelection to the
office of Judge Executive of Oldham County.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At the present time I am not aware of anyone else who intends to seek
the position.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although there have been some people who have not been happy
with Judge Voegele, there have been no glaring incidents that would threaten
his reelection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is not to say that
he cannot lose the election.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone who
follows politics knows Paula Gish was clearly the favorite to win the election
for County Judge in 2010.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all, she
had plenty of money and the political machine behind her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Judge Voegele overcame the odds
through very hard work and loyal supporters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is no reason to believe that he will not work just as hard to be
reelected if any one chooses to oppose him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>On the other hand, the office of Judge Executive is certainly one of the
most coveted positions in the county and in the contest for the office could
prove interesting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are some issues that could come to the forefront if a potential candidate had solutions. Having solutions to the problems would be more important than just bringing the issues to the forefront.</span><br />
Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-75426761959414858722013-10-06T14:05:00.002-04:002013-10-06T14:05:40.958-04:00BARBARA WINTERS TO SEEK OFFICE OF PROPERTY VALUATION ADMINISTRATOR
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although she has not made a formal announcement, Barbara
Winters has told me that she intends to run for the office of Property
Valuation Administrator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is
currently the deputy PVA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In order to be
qualified to serve a person must pass an examination related to the
office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Winters has passed the
examination before so that should not be a hurdle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ron Winters is the current PVA but he is
expected to retire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also expect that Albert Harrison will run for the position
as he has made it plain to me that rumors that he was not going to run were not
true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also has passed the required
examination previously.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have heard a
couple of other names mentioned but I have not confirmed that either of them
will actually run for the office.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-48450882842585989392013-09-25T11:18:00.000-04:002013-09-25T11:18:32.560-04:00Oldham Fiscal Court Should Change Meeting Time
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Now is the time for the <st1:place w:st="on">Oldham</st1:place>
county fiscal court to reconsider its meeting schedule.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the LaGrange City Council meets at
night the <st1:place w:st="on">Oldham</st1:place> county fiscal court continues
to have its Tuesday afternoon sessions except for special occasions.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p>Obviously, there are pros and cons to both meeting in the
evening and meeting during the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
most obvious benefit of meeting during the day is that people who are working
and find it necessary, or are required to be before the court, can be there
while they are on official duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This includes county employees such as the chief financial officer,
county treasurer, director of waste management, chief of police, county
engineer, county attorney, the court clerk, and the director of planning and
development. A simple solution to this hurdle would be to change work schedules
or allow the employee to receive compensatory time for time spent in court.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p>On the other hand, it is very difficult for the average
citizen to attend fiscal court meetings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The majority of people who live in Oldham county do not work in <st1:place w:st="on">Oldham</st1:place> county.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Therefore, for them to attend meetings that are held at 2:00 PM usually requires
them to leave work at 1:00 PM.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the
years I have observed that most of the people who attend fiscal court meetings
are retirees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While they may have a lot
of experience and may be knowledgeable about government it would be refreshing
to see younger, working people attend the meetings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the present time regular attendance at the
meetings presents a hardship to the average person living in <st1:place w:st="on">Oldham</st1:place>
county.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p>Also, the fact that the court meets during the day presents
a huge hurdle for any working person who would like to serve on the fiscal
court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many employers simply would not
allow an employee to miss work two afternoons per month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the court were to meet during the evening,
many more people would be interested in serving on fiscal court.</div>
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<o:p> </o:p>It appears that all of the members of fiscal court at the present
time have jobs that require them to work during the day. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, changing the meeting time to the
evening would not present a hardship for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thus, now is the perfect time for the court to consider a change.</div>
Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-55025763103190890792013-09-22T22:12:00.001-04:002013-09-22T22:12:29.561-04:00Sheriff Steve Sparrow to Seek Reelection<br />
It comes as no surprise that Steve Sparrow will be seeking
reelection as sheriff. Barring some significant event involving Sheriff Sparrow
I would believe that he will win reelection handily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know that anyone contemplating challenging
Sparrow will not agree with me but you must face reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During this past term there has not been any
controversy involving the sheriff's office.<br />
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<o:p> </o:p>I have heard rumors of a couple of other possible candidates
for the office but nobody has come forth, to my knowledge, and said that he/she
was going to run for the office of sheriff.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If Sparrow were to have more than one challenger, it would be more
difficult to unseat him.</div>
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As I said, prospective candidates for offices should be
testing the waters pretty soon with the filing deadlines just a few short
months away.</div>
Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-35076209837856903872013-09-16T18:46:00.000-04:002013-09-16T18:50:25.215-04:00Oldham County Magistrate Brent Likins with Congressman Thomas Massie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7UPfmwWZNiskjFwMIzD68Le2SnASLH7Q5RQViiLzPkJETe1JwjYZn3U76HwXFbpgY4Gtg9gr7T5JalJcnA0Ld9s4rkKP9S-eynC20ZkUCMw80xclf1TZf9aFTGzqyhb7thiYFF0NudI/s1600/B.Likens+T.+Massie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX7UPfmwWZNiskjFwMIzD68Le2SnASLH7Q5RQViiLzPkJETe1JwjYZn3U76HwXFbpgY4Gtg9gr7T5JalJcnA0Ld9s4rkKP9S-eynC20ZkUCMw80xclf1TZf9aFTGzqyhb7thiYFF0NudI/s320/B.Likens+T.+Massie.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-36276114680868919702013-09-16T11:45:00.000-04:002013-09-16T11:47:57.848-04:00Republican Rally Kicks off 2014 Political RacesThe fall of 2013 has arrived and politics is in the air. The Republican Party held a rally at exit 28 on Interstate 71 on Friday night. Among the politicians there were Rand Paul, Mitch McConnell, and Thomas Massie, all of whom represent the people of Oldham County at the Federal level. There were also many local politicians in attendance.<br />
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Back home on the local level not many decisions about who is running for office have been publicly announced at this time. It appears that there will be competition for the offices of sheriff, PVA, and mayor of LaGrange. There will surely be competition for other offices. I was informed by Sheriff Steve Sparrow at the rally that he will be a candidate for sheriff in 2014. That is the only person who has informed me that he is definitely seeking reelection.<br />
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The big question is, what will be the issues? It usually is not sufficient for a candidate to simply run for an office and say he/she is better than the incumbent. If the incumbent has done nothing wrong and has generally been on the right side of the issues he/she will usually be reelected. What the issue are will be is usually decided by the public. The two biggest issues out there at the present time both relate to LaGrange. Those are the recent institution of a compensation tax and the Oldham Reserve. Another issue that is likely to be born of those two issues is the spending habits of LaGrange. <br />
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At the county level the decision to construct a new jail and the continuation of an insurance premium tax, that is larger than necessary, could become election issues. <br />
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Although the present fiscal court has had some tense moments it has been a harmonious court for the most part. Are there chinks in the armor of the court? Certainly there are. However, I do not see as many vulnerable members of the court this election as there were in the elections of 2010. On the other hand, one never knows what may become an issue between now and the primary elections which essentially decides who is going to be elected to office since Olham County has few democrats running at the county level. Of course, the city elections are nonpartisan. <br />
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Anyway, stay tuned to this site for the political news of the Oldham County. Who knows, it could be that a few "looks" may be taken at the statewide elections.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-49810050900140956922012-05-02T21:53:00.001-04:002012-05-02T21:53:20.621-04:00VICE CHAIRMAN OF REPUBLICAN PARTY SUPPORTS PRIMARY CANDIDATESMany times I have heard Anne Gernstein say as a party chair that she was required to stay out of primary election campaigns and to not support any candidate.<br />
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Many republicans around Oldham County were very upset with former Republican Party chairwoman Anne Gernstein because they believed that she did show favoritism to different candidates during the primary elections. The person who most often told me that she was not neutral was none other than former Magistrate Rick Rash who is now a candidate in the republican primary for Oldham Circuit Court Clerk. <br />
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You can imagine how surprised I was when I drove by the home of J.D. Sparks on Tuesday and found yard signs in his yard supporting Rick Rash and Alecia Webb-Edgington who is a candidate for congress. J.D. Sparks is a Magistrate and the current Vice Chairman of the Oldham County Republican Party. Why do people not learn from the mistakes of others. That is the cheapest education that you can get.<br />
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I spoke to J.D. Sparks via email about the matter and he told me that he was not supporting the candidates in his role as Vice Chairman of the Republican Party but as an individual. He said that he saw nothing wrong with his actions.<br />
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Well, I respectfully disagree with Magistrate Sparks. Or, should I say Vice Chairman Sparks. That brings up another issue, Should elected officials be officers of a political party? I certainly do not believe that they should but perhaps the party could not find anyone else willing to serve as party officials. Back to the situation at hand, Magistrate Sparks just does not get it. When you take certain positions or certain employment in life you give up certain privileges. For example, in my role as Officer in Charge of the Immigration and Naturalization Service I had to refrain from speaking unfavorably about the policies of that agency even though I might disagree with them. In my opinion when J.D. Sparks took on the role of Vice Chairman of the Republican Party he gave up his right to endorse republican candidates in contested primary elections. Perhaps he does not understand that. Or, perhaps he does not want to accept it.<br />
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For Vice chairman Sparks to continue endorsing republican candidates who are engaged in contested primaries reflects disrespect for other candidates and can only bring about dissension in the party and a lack of respect for him and his position.<br />
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As for Rick Rash, I encountered him putting up another one of his signs and took the opportunity to ask him why he put one of his signs in Mr. Sparks’ yard. He stated that Sparks had asked him for one of the signs. I reminded Rash of his frequent criticism of former chairwoman Gernstein’s actions that he considered to be unfair. After a few minutes of discussion he agreed that I was correct. He called me three hours later to inform me that his sign had been removed from Mr. Sparks’ yard. As far as I know Alecia Webb-Edgington’s sign is still in the yard.<br />
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I commend Mr. Rash for correcting his mistake. As for Mr. Sparks, he is young and perhaps he will someday learn that we don’t always have freedom of speech even though the constitution may guarantee that. Yes, freedom of speech is guaranteed but sometimes something else must be sacrificed to have that freedom. In this case Mr. Sparks should either give up his position as Vice chairman of the Republican Party or he should refrain from openly supporting candidates in primary elections.<br />
<br />Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-35112301357790314492012-05-02T21:49:00.000-04:002012-05-02T21:49:25.050-04:00SEWER RATE TO RISE AND SURCHARGE TO BE INSTITUTEDOn May 1st. the Oldham County Fiscal Court passed an ordinance raising sewer rates by five percent while also instituting a surcharge of $5.39 per month per customer. The surcharge will remain in place for twenty years. This increase comes after a rate increase of eight percent last year. The purpose of the surcharge is to pay for debt service on bonds that the Environmental Authority (Oldham Sewer District) has obtained to finance replacement of package treatment plants and other work on sewer lines that the district claims is being mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Division of Water. <br />
Over two years ago the Oldham Fiscal Court took over the responsibility for several million dollars worth of debt that the sewer district had outstanding in order to improve the credit rating of the sewer district. At the time I told the court that they were just giving the sewer district the opportunity to obtain more loans and go deeper in debt. Well, that has now happened-they have gone deeper in debt and the ratepayers will be each pay an additional $5.39 per month for the next twenty years to service that debt. Frankly, I expect that Oldham County residents have not seen the last of sewer rate increases and additional surcharges.<br />
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One magistrate asked a representative of the sewer district how long we could expect to see increases in sewer rates. I subsequently addressed the court and answered his question. Simple, as long as the court continues to vote in favor of the increases. The sewer district only asks for the increases. The court must grant the increases and is therefore responsible for the increases. It is also the responsibility of the court to devise a plan of action to address any action that the EPA and DOW might take if the county decided to challenge those agencies.<br />
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The court always blames the EPA and the Division of Water for forcing them to make changes. They often refer to these changes as unfunded mandates. Using this excuse the court says that it is left with no choice but to increase rates. I disagree. I believe that they should challenge the EPA and DOW. It may be difficult for the county to do this alone but it is time for someone in county government to take the lead and form a coalition of counties to challenge the EPA and DOW Perhaps it is easier to just pass another ordinance raising rates than to make that challenge.<br />
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To be fair, Magistrate Bob Leslie voted against the increase. All other magistrates and the county judge voted in favor of the increase and surcharge.<br />
<br />Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-48539361899222490222012-02-17T10:28:00.001-05:002012-02-17T10:29:38.479-05:00NO NEW JAIL NEEDEDWell, it has been a long time since I have posted anything on this site. I was hoping that this site would no longer be needed to the extent that it was when I launched it. However, I was wrong. Judge Voegele and the Fiscal Court are not using common sense in operating our county government.<br />
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First, Judge Voegele promised to reduce the Insurance Premium tax and he promised to not to build a new jail. To date there has been no initiative on the part of Judge Voegele to reduce the tax and now Fiscal court appears to be seriously considering the construction of a new jail. Judge Voegele has not openly opposed the idea. The issue of the Insurance Premium Tax is very simple – Judge Voegele failed to keep a campaign promise.<br />
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Actually the issue of a new jail is just about as simple. It is a stupid idea with no merit. According to Jailer Mike Simpson the average population of the jail by inmates from Oldham County is 40 per day. The simple solution is to close our jail and house the inmates in another county. This action would save a lot of money in the form of salaries, building maintenance, and money that would be necessary to construct a new facility. That might lead to Mike Simpson losing his job. However, he has been receiving a pension in addition to his regular salary for years which should have allowed him to be in better financial condition than the average Oldham County employee. There would be other employees involved. There would be a need for additional Sheriff’s deputies to transport prisoners. Perhaps those current jail employees who are qualified could be hired as deputies to perform that work.<br />
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The present jail is large enough to house Oldham County prisoners and that is all that the county should consider. To attempt to get into the business of housing prisoners for profit is absolutely absurd. The county tried to get into the real estate business when it bought the property for Oldham reserve and that was a big mistake. To get into the business of housing prisoners would also be a mistake. The purpose of the government is to provide necessary services for the people – not to be a profit making business.<br />
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The three magistrates on the jail committee should reconsider what they are doing. Magistrates Bob Dye and JD Sparks claimed to be for smaller government and both beat opponents who had raised taxes in the county. Now they want to spend 19 million dollars to build a new jail that is not necessary. Where do they have their heads? Magistrate Steve Greenwell is running for Circuit Court Clerk. Does he expect people to elect him to that office when he wants to grow government?<br />
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The problem is that the county government has more money coming in than it needs and it has to find a place to spend it rather than give it back to the people. It is time for the people to demand the return of their money or to begin looking for new candidates. It is that simple.<br />
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The “watchdog” is back!Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-22570496932614895712010-12-26T23:35:00.000-05:002010-12-26T23:35:59.383-05:00WILL OLDHAM COUNTY HAVE ANOTHER FISCAL COURT THAT DISRESPECTS THE LAWThe Murner-led Fiscal Court is over for all intent and practical purposes. The court held its last meeting on December 21, 2010. Each Magistrate took the opportunity to express his/her gratitude for having been elected by their constituents. There was an unusual appearance of harmony among the Magistrates - probably more than since their first meeting four years ago.<br />
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Personally, I am very glad to see the end of the Murner-lead Fiscal Court. Judge Murner demonstrated a total disregard for the law - especially where open government was concerned. Many people were glad to see him reined in by a court of law over his illegal acts of secrecy. Murner has constantly bragged about achieving a balanced budget and ending his term with a major surplus. I never heard him say that he balanced that budget by raising taxes, which he significantly increased on Oldham County families. He always claimed that the balanced budget was due to cuts in personnel and other cuts in the budget; an example of misleading the public that was the trademark of the Murner administration. However, in the end the escalation of taxes and fees proved to be fatal to Murner’s hope of having his hand-picked successor be elected as County Judge/Executive. Still further, the escalation of taxes and fees also served to cause several Magistrates to fail in their endeavor to be re-elected. Some of them may not realize this or want to accept it, but any non-biased person can easily see it. That is what blind loyalty can do for you. <br />
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Now the obvious question is: will the incoming Magistrates be as blind as some of those whom they are replacing? They will get their first test at the first meeting on January 3, 2011. At that first meeting, the new County Judge/Executive, David Voegele, will present to the court/new Magistrates the names of several people that he will be hiring for their approval. <br />
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Of the names of the people Judge Voegele will present will be John Black, his brother-in-law. Judge Voegele has selected Black to be his deputy. The fact is that Voegele does not need the approval of the Fiscal Court for the position of Deputy County Judge/Executive. However, Voegele has stated that he would present Black to the court along with the names of his other new-hires. By doing this Voegele will be asking the Magistrates to violate the county administrative code - or at least condone his questionable selection. That is simply being insensitive to the members of the court. Seems like another County Judge we’ve seen over the past four years doesn’t it? <br />
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The present Oldham County code of ethics is part of the county administrative code. Section 4.3 (Nepotism) of the code states: “Members of any County government officer’s or employee’s immediate family are ineligible for employment by the Fiscal Court.”<br />
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The selection of John Black by David Voegele is clearly nepotism and should not be tolerated. Moreover, by Voegele asking the court to approve or condone the selection of Black he is showing disrespect for them and asking them to do something that that they may be criticized for doing by their constituents. He is also taking advantage of the fact that some of the members are new to the court and may not feel comfortable opposing him in the very first meeting. Although this may be a good tactical move by Voegele, it is unethical. The people of Oldham County will get a very good sense of the direction that this court will follow for the next four years. David Voegele can be assured that the people will not forget what he is doing. <br />
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Judge Voegele may say that he is selecting Black because he is very qualified by virtue of the fact that he was the County Judge before. That argument has several holes in it. First, the people of Oldham County no longer wanted Democrat John Black as County Judge as he was defeated in his bid for a third term by Mary Ellen Kinser. Second, surely Voegele had someone else in mind to be his deputy should John Black have been elected to the Kentucky State Senate seat that he sought, though he was soundly defeated by Republican Ernie Harris. Then there is the fact that the “end does not justify the means”, especially when the “means” result in a violation of the law; a law that John Black instituted when he was the County Judge. How ironic is that now? When John Black sought the change in the administrative code did he believe that the change should only be applicable to others and not him? In other words, do as I say, not as I do. <br />
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David Voegele still has time to correct his mistake but does he have the desire to do what is right or will it be full speed ahead, the law be dammed?Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-47064694862429372382010-11-28T22:08:00.000-05:002010-11-28T22:08:11.140-05:00WILL POLITICS AND BAD HABITS EVER CHANGE IN OLDHAM COUNTYDoes every elected County Judge-Executive believe that he has to help an old friend, relative, supporter, or someone who needs to enhance their state retirement benefits? First, Duane Murner hired Bill Tucker shortly after being elected County Judge-Executive and Tucker remains on the county payroll to this day. Tucker has been on social security for years and should have opted to allow a younger person who was in need of a job to be employed. However, he received a substantial increase in pay from his previous magisterial salary, after he was removed from office by the voters. Thus, his retirement will be increased significantly. Likewise, Judge Murner hired former magistrate Paula Gish to be his Deputy Judge-Executive and gave her a huge increase in salary. Again, her retirement will increase significantly due to this increase in pay. What is worse is that one of her duties has been to supervise the county payroll clerk and the state auditor said in an annual report that she was not qualified to do that. The payroll clerk was recently fired by County Judge Murner but Gish remains on the job making over $70K per year.<br />
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Well, David Voegele also has decided to help an old friend and relative increase his retirement. He decided to hire his brother-in-law, John Black, to be his deputy at a salary of over $55K per year. John Black has been driving a school bus in order to enhance his retirement. It is a great promotion when you go from school bus driver to Deputy County Judge. I once heard Voegele remark that it would be a great promotion for a person to go from janitor to county treasurer. He also remarked that it would make a great title for a story. I guess that he forgot that, or believes that it does not apply to him. I’m sorry David, but you can’t have it both ways.<br />
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David Voegele promised change throughout his campaign this past spring. As a matter of fact, he told me that he would make a lot of changes if the people would just give him a chance. He knows, or at least he should know, that many people voted for him because they felt that he was the lesser of two evils. Voegele has gotten his chance but so far I have not seen the change. Hiring his brother-in-law is not a change in practice from the past administration. To make matters worse, John Black is a staunch democrat who has been defeated in his last two attempts to achieve elective office. He was just recently soundly defeated by Ernie Harris in a bid for the Kentucky State Senate. Black ran on a democratic agenda which supported expanded gambling in Kentucky. Did that not tell David Voegele that the people of Oldham County have rejected John Black?<br />
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While we are on the issue of change, there are two more items that need to be addressed. Voegele railed against the huge debt that the county has amassed and the huge increase in the insurance premium tax rate. The first two items of business Voegele should have on his agenda are the reduction of the insurance premium tax by fifty percent and the retirement of some of the county debt. The county has a huge surplus at the present time (over $8 million) and can afford to accomplish both of these feats. If Voegele does not do this quickly, the county should not expect him to do anything that he promised. As a matter of fact, the people had better be on the defensive.<br />
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Since the primary election, Voegele has went against several of his campaign messages and disappointed many in the public. He voted to once again increase sewer rates by 25% and to add additional debt to the Fiscal Court budget through accepting debt taken on by the sewer district to finance their ongoing abysmal operations. The court voted to approve the measure by one vote, meaning Voegele’s vote in the opposite direction would have prevented the increase from becoming a reality.<br />
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Voegele also needs to make some personnel changes in his administration as soon as he takes office. He was also opposed by nearly all of the county government employees working in Judge-Executive Duane Murner’s office in addition to most of the department heads in county government. In fact, many of them worked extensively to support the candidacy of Paula Gish in the primary election. This includes employees making financial contributions to Gish, displaying yard signs, wearing campaign clothing at events, and openly supporting Gish whenever possible. He still has time to make those changes before he takes office, however it is questionable whether he has the stomach to make the tough decisions needed in this area. <br />
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I still believe that Voegele was the better choice for County Judge but my belief is fading fast.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-61202181973580068972010-11-16T23:56:00.000-05:002010-11-16T23:56:39.064-05:00HOW A LAME DUCK FISCAL COURT CONFRONTS ISSUESThe November 16, 2010 meeting of the Oldham County fiscal court proved to be interesting. The court had several people in attendance from the Briar Hill and Spring Hill subdivisions.<br />
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Recently the Oldham Circuit Court ruled that there was not a valid approved subdivision plan for the Brentwood subdivision. This was the result of a lawsuit filed by residents of the Briar Hill and Spring Hill subdivisions. However, in spite of the decision of the Circuit Court there has been a road approved by the Oldham County Panning and Development Commission. According to residents who appeared at the fiscal court meeting, work on the subdivision continues even though there is no approved subdivision plan. Residents voiced concern for the safety of residents, especially children, due to excessive speed of drivers who use the new road as a means of bypassing Crestwood.<br />
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The residents had previously asked the court to close the road and have all work on the subdivision stopped. Judge Murner said that fiscal court has no jurisdiction in the matter since the court was not a defendant in the lawsuit. I doubt that this issue will go away.<br />
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In an unrelated matter Magistrate Bob Deibel made a motion that the court approve a new fifteen year contract with Insight cable company. Insight provides cable service for the majority of the citizens of Oldham County. However, Magistrate David Voegele, the Judge-Elect made a motion to table the issue. Voegele stated that he would like to consult with legal counsel in order that the county might gain further concessions from the cable company. Magistrate Scott Davis seconded the motion and the motion passed by a 7-2 vote. Magistrate Deibel and Judge Murner voted against Voegele’s motion. The current contract with Insight does not expire until August of 2011. Therefore, there should be no danger of the county being without cable service. What struck me as being odd about the vote was that the majority of the magistrates voted opposite of Judge Murner. I do not believe that would have happened a year ago. Perhaps Judge Murner has lost the rigid control that he appeared to have over the court until now. It is possible that some of the magistrates who were defeated now realize that their blind loyalty to Judge Murner contributed to their demise as magistrates.<br />
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Finally, Magistrate Steve Church stated that the finance committee had met to discuss the matter of retiring part of the county debt-specifically the part that relates to the community center. He stated that the finance committee decided to not recommend that the debt be retired but rather to allow the incoming court to make that decision. It is believed that Magistrate Rick Rash was the driving force behind retiring part of the county debt. Had the debt been retired it would have amounted to a savings of approximately one thousand dollars per week in interest payments. Magistrates David Voegele, Steve Greenwell and Steve Church make up the finance committee.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-37772625260010629272010-11-15T22:54:00.000-05:002010-11-15T22:54:46.596-05:00OLDHAM COUNTY JUDGE ELECT DAVID VOEGELE ANNOUNCES TWO APPOINTMENTSOldham County Judge-Executive Elect David Voegele has released the names of two individuals he intends to recommend to Fiscal Court as part of the new administration in January. <br />
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Greg Smith, former Chief of the Louisville Division of Police, will be recommended to Oldham Fiscal Court as the replacement for former Chief Michael Griffin, who retired at the end of August. Voegele said he would like Smith’s title to be Director of Public Safety, rather than chief of police. <br />
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“The position will manage all police work but also additional responsibilities I would like to come under the supervision of the director of public safety,” Voegele indicated. <br />
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“Greg Smith is an outstanding police administrator, recognized widely in the law enforcement community as a consummate professional. I could not find anyone who did not have the highest respect for him,” Voegele said. <br />
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Judge-Executive Elect David Voegele said he interviewed 12 candidates to lead the Oldham County Police Department. “I felt each of the candidates was an excellent police officer, but Greg Smith brought more to the table in terms of being able to move Oldham County forward on a variety of issues.” <br />
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Chief Smith was a member of the Louisville Division of Police from 1974 through January 2003, when he joined the staff of Senator Jim Bunning. He will end his work for Senator Bunning when Bunning retires at the end of the year.<br />
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Chief Smith began his career path as a patrol officer in the First and Sixth Districts. Promotions through the years included detective, sergeant, lieutenant, assistant chief, deputy chief and chief. He has supervised all aspects of police services, including training, community development, narcotics, sex crimes, homicide and robbery units. <br />
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Smith is a graduate of Bellarmine University, and holds a Master’s Degree in Community Development from the University of Louisville. He also teaches law enforcement at Bellarmine. He will take over January first from Acting Chief Billy Way, who has accepted a position in business and will retire at the end of December.<br />
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Another appointment planned for the new administration includes a former director of Oldham County Planning and Zoning. Jim Urban, who was part of the administration of former Judge-Executive, John Black, will be recommended as the new director of Planning and Development, replacing Louise Allen who retired earlier this fall. Urban left Oldham County government in 2003.<br />
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“Jim’s prior experience in Oldham County, along with his knowledge of the development in the county, his management skills and abilities in economic development and land use planning, will bring a superior level of performance and service in planning and development,” Voegele said. “Our quality of life is not for sale, and I will be holding Planning and Development to the highest standard in maintaining that pledge to our community.” <br />
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Since leaving Oldham County in 2003, Mr. Urban worked in the private sector and was director of planning for the City of Jeffersonville, Indiana. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and has a Master’s Degree from the University of Massachusetts in Land Use Planning and Landscape Design.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-17281577047679442652010-11-04T21:23:00.000-04:002010-11-04T21:23:49.536-04:00OLDHAM CIRCUIT COURT ISSUES DECISION OF BRENTWOOD SUBDIVISIONOn June 24, 2008 the Oldham Planning and Development Commission (PDC) denied an application made by Oldham Farms Development, LLC for approval of Brentwood Subdivision. Oldham Farms Development, LLC then appealed that decision to the Oldham Circuit Court. An Agreed Order was thereafter entered that dismissed the lawsuit.<br />
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As a result of the Agreed Order the PDC held meetings on July 25, 2008 and on September 1, 2008 to discuss the subdivision plan again. The meeting on September 1, 2008 was conducted in a closed session which means that the public was not allowed to view the proceedings. After coming out of the closed session the PDC voted to approve the Brentwood subdivision plans, thereby, overturning the original denial of the plans by that same body. Subsequent to that decision Steve Harold, ET. Al (Other private individuals) filed a lawsuit alleging that the Commission abused its authority by approving the subdivision plans because it feared that it would be sued. Apparently someone had threatened to sue the PDC if they did not approve the subdivision plans. The plaintiffs alleged that it was a violation of law to approve the subdivision plans on the basis that the Commission feared a lawsuit. Judge Conrad found that the approval of the subdivision plans because of fear of litigation does not invalidate the approval.<br />
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Personally, I find that the approval of subdivision plans because the PDC feared litigation to be abhorrent even though it might not be illegal. If the Commission were to continue making decisions on that basis, a person would simply just have to threaten the Commission with litigation and the Commission would capitulate. That would result in a totally ineffective Commission. Nonetheless, the court ruled that the fear of litigation did not negate the decision of the Commission.<br />
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However, the Circuit Court did find that the Plaintiffs’ (Steve Harold, ET.AL) due process rights were violated when the PDC failed to properly advertise the PDC meeting on July 25, 2008 during which the subdivision plans were discussed prior to the September 1, 2008 decision to approve the subdivision plans. As a result of finding that the meeting was not properly advertised any business conducted at the meeting is null and void. The court then ordered and adjudged that the PDC final approval of the Brentwood Subdivision plans be set aside and the matter remanded for further proceedings before the PDC. The decision of the Circuit Court contains other legal discussions but as stated essentially it is back to the drawing board for the subdivision plans and back to the PDC.<br />
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As a result of <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/41077414/Brentwood-Decision">the decision</a> Michael Tigue, Attorney for the plaintiffs sent an email to all of the Oldham County magistrates, the county Judge/Executive, Courtney Baxter, the County Attorney and Stuart Ulferts, the Attorney for the PDC. The body of that email follows:<br />
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Dear Judge Executive Murner and Magistrates:<br />
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Attached is a copy of J. Conrad’s decision in the Brentwood subdivision appeal.<br />
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J. Conrad has determined that the Planning Commission’s second decision purportedly approving the Brentwood plan is void because it violated my clients’ rights to due process of law. <br />
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As you know the only decision that remains of record is the original decision denying the plan which is also not appealable as it was dismissed quite some time ago. Which means, all the work that has been completed on the site as of today has been performed in clear violation of the law.<br />
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As such, I have previously requested that orders issue immediately closing all roadways within the property to prevent them from being used by the public as well as stopping all work activity on the site which continues to this day despite J. Conrad’s Order. I have also requested that the developer be directed to take immediate action to physically prevent the roadways from being used by the public. My prior communications were sent to Ms. Beth Stuber, Mr. Brian Davis and their counsel Stuart Ulferts, Esq. At present, the public is using the roadways to cut through my clients neighborhoods often at high rates of speed. When blockades have been put up, people are simply moving them as well which means the developers need to be directed to put up barricades that cannot be moved and to erect signs that warn the public the roadways are not open to ensure their safety.<br />
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I also understand the roadways have been dedicated as county public roads. That dedication was awfully short-sighted as it is now apparent that the dedication is invalid as a matter of law well. The simple fact is that public roads are required by statute to be created by record plat. In this instance, they were dedicated pursuant to a plat that was denied. The subsequent approval of that plat has now been thrown out. In short, the dedication of the property’s roadways is void.<br />
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This situation is an unmitigated disaster brought on by an arrogant refusal of the development group to comply with, or at least respect the law. Had they simply waited (at a minimum out of respect) for the judicial system to resolve this dispute all of this could have avoided. It is truly unfortunate that this development group has placed Oldham County and my clients in general in this position. Obviously, some very difficult decisions are going to have to be made. Nevertheless, the illegal site development now has to be addressed and my clients expect it to be addressed promptly.<br />
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Moreover, the Brentwood Plan is not subject to further review as last proposed. That Plan was denied. That decision is not subject to further review as it was dismissed by prior Court Order. The only option Oldham County has is to direct the developer to resubmit a subdivision plan application for a substantially different proposal provided the requisite period to resubmit has elapsed.<br />
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Further, even if the same plan is resubmitted it directly violates the following regulations Sections 5.3A; 5.3.B.3; 5.3.B.4; 5.3.C; 5.3.3(a); 5.3.C.3(c); 7.1.C; 7.2.D.4; 7.2.F. In short, there are no circumstance by which the plan can be approved.<br />
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Regardless, what’s on the ground today is illegal and your assistance in remedying the problems it creates is greatly appreciated. <br />
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Regards,<br />
Michael Tigue <br />
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I do not know what the final result of all of this litigation will be but I believe that all work should be stopped until a final decision can be reached. However, I have seen Judge Murner be slow to follow the orders of Judge Karen Conrad before and I have heard him say that he would go to jail if he thought that the court was wrong before he would obey an order of the court. I would believe that failure of the county to stop the work on the subdivision would result in more litigation for the county and we already have enough liability in pending court actions. We certainly do not need more.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-65173048552661432942010-11-01T11:50:00.001-04:002010-11-03T20:23:30.190-04:00COULD THIS BE WHY PAULA GISH IS NOT THE COUNTY JUDGE ELECT<table border="0" bordercolor="#99ccff" bordercolordark="#5b7997" bordercolorlight="#dbedff" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody>
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Anne Gernstein is obviously not impressed with Paula Gish. Perhaps longer meetings might shed more light on what is going on behind the scenes. And, then again, maybe not.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-30064100783387590922010-11-01T11:36:00.000-04:002010-11-01T11:36:28.683-04:00REVIEW OF COUNTY ATTORNEY AND DISTRICT JUDGE RACESWho do you vote for in these races? This year that is a very difficult question to answer. First, one must decide what is important to him/her. Is experience the most important factor that you consider? Is integrity more important than experience? What about qualifications or political party? Then there is always the question of the candidate being a conservative, moderate or liberal.<br />
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In the race for District Judge you have Jerry Crosby, the incumbent, who has been the District Judge for many years while his opponent, John Shaughnessey, has never been a judge at any level. If experience is the most important factor to the voter, Crosby wins, hands down. However, let me caution voters who simply consider experience. If experience were the only factor considered, the incumbent would almost always win as the incumbent usually has the most experience.<br />
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Both candidates for District Judge have stated that they are not allowed to express their political views or how they would vote on hypothetical cases. Thus, it is very difficult to know if the candidate is conservative, moderate or liberal. If you have followed the rulings of Judge Crosby, you may be able to make that determination. However, very few people even know what a District Judge does, much less know how the judge rules.<br />
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I have listened to both candidates speak on more than one occasion and the only thing that I am certain of is that Judge Crosby has the most experience. Naturally he has made a point of making sure that the people are aware of his experience. On the other hand, Shaughnessey has served in the military and belonged to several patriotic organizations. Therefore, he champions himself as a patriot. However, he has never inferred that Crosby is not loyal to his country. The voters have a tough decision to make and very little information on which to base the decision.<br />
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In the race for County Attorney we have a different situation. We have one candidate, John Carter, who seems to have the most experience since he was a District Judge for about ten years. Many people would believe that as a result of having been a District Judge the experience gained from that position would make him the most qualified. That is not necessarily true. Certainly that experience helps him. However, in that position he only made decisions on cases that came before him. There is a lot that happens to a case before it reaches the District Judge. As a matter of fact many cases never reach the District Judge. The County Attorney can decide to not take the case to trial or an agreement between the aggrieved parties can be reached without going to court. In one his speeches District Judge Crosby made the statement that the County Attorney had more responsibility for enforcement of the law than the District Judge. Thus while experience as a District Judge is important it is not to be confused with experience as a County Attorney. It is also important to mention that the County Attorney has one major function that does not involve going to District or Circuit Court and that is the responsibility for advising the Fiscal Court.<br />
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The only candidate who has any experience as a County Attorney is Stuart Ulferts. He was an Assistant County Attorney for a period of four years. Additionally, he has been employed as an attorney for the Planning and Development Commission for almost four years. Thus, Ulferts is the only candidate who has actually made the decisions that a County Attorney is required to make.<br />
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The third candidate, Galen Clark, is the only person who has run for the position of County Attorney and he has done that twice. He narrowly lost to long time incumbent, John Fendley, in the 2010 Republican primary race and he also lost the same race in 2006. Although he did not win either race the public has had opportunities to learn a great deal about him and many have already voiced their approval for him. However, Clark is running as a “write-in” candidate and it is very difficult to win as a “write-in” candidate. Moreover, he did not enter the race until very late in the election cycle. He would have been well advised to have entered the race the day after the executive committee of the Oldham county Republican party shunned him when picking a replacement for the late John Fendley on the Republican ticket.<br />
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To my knowledge, Clark is the only candidate that has experience practicing law in a state other than Kentucky. While some people have criticized Clark for having practiced in Indiana I find that to be a plus for him. That is experience that the other candidates do not have.<br />
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The race for County Attorney has been the most negative race that I have seen in Oldham County for many years. Allegations have been made against John Carter that his judgment should be questioned because of an incident in which he fired shots into a neighbor’s house after having consumed alcohol. However, the neighbor did not file a complaint against Carter and he was not charged with any violations.<br />
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Then there have been the people who have said that Galen Clark does not have any experience in Oldham County; that his experience comes from Jefferson County and Indiana. First, that is not true, Clark has had cases in Oldham courts. If it were true, it is simply ludicrous as the law in Jefferson County is much the same as the law in Oldham County. Both counties come under the umbrella of the Kentucky Constitution as well as the Kentucky Revised Statutes. That is simply someone grasping for straws.<br />
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Finally, there are those people, mostly John Carter supporters, who want to pick at Stuart Ulferts’ selection for his spouse. Frankly, I don’t care who he selected for a spouse nor do I care who anyone else chooses for his/her spouse. I do not believe that anyone would want people to berate them for their choice of a spouse. That is really throwing dirt. I know many spouses of politicians whom I could rip apart. I won’t go there.<br />
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For certain there are some sour grapes in this election. Those sour grapes are certain to remain until the 2014 elections. However, people must make a selection on Tuesday. For the sake of Oldham County I hope they make the right choice.<br />
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As you have noticed, I have not endorsed any of these candidates. Frankly, the variables are such in these races that I do not believe that it would be fair for me to advise people to vote for any specific person. It simply depends on what is important to the individual voter.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-55368075906418901802010-11-01T11:35:00.003-04:002010-11-01T11:38:41.090-04:00WHY ERNIE HARRIS WILL EASILY WIN KENTUCKY STATE SENATE RACE ON TUESDAYGuest Column: By Scott M. Davis<br />
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In reviewing one of Oldham County’s most interesting races on the ballot this coming Tuesday, it is easy to see that State Senator Ernie Harris is likely to win a commanding victory over John Black for the Kentucky State Senate seat covering Oldham, Henry, Carroll, Trimble, and eastern Jefferson County. A brief look at the situation surrounding this race gives meaningful insight into how this race is easy to call before the ballot box opens on Tuesday. <br />
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First, Democrat John Black has employed many of the same campaign strategies which his brother-in-law, Republican David Voegele, used in his primary campaign for Judge-Executive earlier this year. This includes many large signs with various slogans strategically placed around Oldham County. Black has changed the message on many of his signs throughout the campaign, thus employing the same tactic used by Voegele. Additionally, Black has been seen in many parts of Oldham County campaigning around major intersections waving to people as they drive by. <br />
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What is important to remember is while Voegele’s campaign was successful using these tactics, this is a much different race. Ernie Harris is not Paula Gish, in any way, shape, or form. Ernie Harris is a legitimate candidate with a proven track record. Ernie Harris has not beat himself, unlike Gish. What was evident in the County-Judge Executive primary was that many people voted against Paula Gish, rather than for David Voegele. Additionally, the straight Republican ticket voters throughout Oldham County are going to come out in force, especially considering the vast popularity of Dr. Rand Paul in the U.S. Senate Race. Furthermore, the Republican tidal wave brought on by the tea party and the abysmal popularity of Democrats in general at this point will also play a major factor. None of this bolds well for Black come Tuesday evening. <br />
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John Black has also focused a significant part of his campaign on supporting expanded gambling at Kentucky’s horse racing tracks. We don’t have to debate the point that this is not a popular position with the majority of Oldham County voters, or voters throughout the commonwealth for that matter as witnessed by recent special elections. What is most interesting is that Black has not received any significant amount of financial support from the racing industry, especially when compared to the amounts of money they have put behind other Democratic State Senate Candidates in other recent elections. Why has Black campaigned on this unpopular issue when he has not received significant backing from the industry? Is he really just not invited to the party? <br />
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Ernie Harris on the other hand has typically kept his commitments to the voters of Oldham County and has supported the Republican majority leadership in the State Senate. He has given the voters no significant reason to fire him from the position he has held for several terms. His prominent committee appointments in the State Senate are also beneficial to Oldham County in terms of returning money back to our county for many various needs. <br />
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So there you have it, an easy win for Senator Ernie Harris is the call for Tuesday night.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-51311053511890517362010-11-01T11:35:00.002-04:002010-11-01T11:35:29.290-04:00WINTERS FOR PROPERTY VALUATION ADMINISTRATORRon Winters is my choice for PVA. Winters has the experience necessary to do the job. Additionally he has proven to be fair and to perform the duties of the office in accordance with the constitution of Kentucky.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-78861796254400969352010-10-30T21:07:00.000-04:002010-10-30T21:07:38.928-04:00VOTE FOR BOB LESLIE FOR THIRD DISTRICT MAGISTRATEFor me, endorsing Bob Leslie is a very simple task. Leslie has kept his word to his constituents. He has voted as he said he would. The fact that he has stated that he will not vote for any tax increases is very important. Further, I have never found Leslie to be anything other than honest with me or anyone else.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-89508937181614719702010-10-25T21:51:00.001-04:002010-11-01T11:52:00.016-04:00COULD IT BE THAT GERNSTEIN AND BARR ARE NO LONGER FRIENDS<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" bordercolor="#99CCFF" bordercolorlight="#DBEDFF" bordercolordark="#5B7997"><tr><td><br />
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It is apparent that Anne Gernstein seemed to be stressed at the time of the Lincoln Dinner in 2010. If she were not stressed, she was just plain angry with Julie Barr and the office of Congressman Geoff Davis.<br />
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Anne has really laid one on Julie Barr with this comment. With the election coming next Tuesday Gernstein and Barr will be working together to count the absentee ballots and performing other duties that members of the Oldham County Election Board perform on election day. (Both Gernstein and Barr are members of the board) There is bound to be some tension.<br />
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At least they won't have to pretend that they love each other. Their cards have been put on the table for everyone to see.<br />
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Once again people, this is the chairperson of your Republican party. If this is what you want, it is your choice. I just want everyone to know. I don't want someone to say he/she was not aware of the situation.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-27144945814965178342010-10-21T23:07:00.001-04:002010-10-24T22:42:20.258-04:00HOW TO VOTE FOR COUNTY JUDGE<table border="0" bordercolor="#99ccff" bordercolordark="#5b7997" bordercolorlight="#dbedff" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody> <> </>
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Anne Gernstein didn't see all of the county political races as being an easy decision. However, you gotta do what ya gotta do. Did she think that she was going to cast her vote at the office of the County Clerk? Is that why she thought that she had to hold her nose?Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-51730342179170405152010-10-19T22:06:00.000-04:002010-10-22T22:07:33.061-04:00ANNE GERNSTEIN ON ANIMALS IN THE COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE-AGAIN<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" bordercolor="#99CCFF" bordercolorlight="#DBEDFF" bordercolordark="#5B7997"><tr><td><br />
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I was asked by someone why I had taken this sound bite off the web site. Frankly, I don't know how it was removed but here it is again.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-73554557248060672922010-10-19T09:27:00.001-04:002010-10-21T23:08:05.020-04:00ANNE GERNSTEIN TIRES OF GEOFF DAVIS' OFFICE<table border="0" bordercolor="#99ccff" bordercolordark="#5b7997" bordercolorlight="#dbedff" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody> <> </>
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Apparently the 2010 Oldham County republican Lincoln dinner was popular this past spring as the office of Congressman Geoff Davis almost did not get all of the seats that the office wanted. Perhaps Anne Gernstein's patience was wearing thin but it is obvious that she was tiring of their last minute reservations. <br />
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Later we will learn that Julie Barr, Oldham County Clerk, almost missed the dinner also.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1678444450828280961.post-81884644607013333082010-10-18T11:18:00.000-04:002010-10-18T11:18:18.211-04:00LAGRANGE CITY COUNCIL AND MAYOR EACH WIN PART OF COURT OF APPEALS DECISIONOn December 4, 2008 LaGrange Mayor Elsie Carter brought claims against the LaGrange City Council in Oldham Circuit Court. Mayor Carter alleged that the Council had acted contrary to law by approving Graham Whatley as the City Attorney for LaGrange and subsequently rescinding that approval. She further alleged that the Council violated the law by reducing the property tax rate during the tax year which created a budget deficit.<br />
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Regarding the appointment of Graham Whatley as City Attorney, the Council contended that his appointment was conditional and that prior to all of the conditions being met the Council decided to rescind the appointment.<br />
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In June 2009 the Oldham Circuit Court found in favor of Mayor Carter on both issues. The City Council appealed that decision. On October 15, 2010 the Court of Appeals for the Commonwealth of Kentucky affirmed the decision of the Oldham Circuit regarding the changing of the tax rate. <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/39597201/Court-of-Appeals-Case-Re-Whatley">In the decision</a>, the court found that the reduction of the tax rate was in violation of statutory authority. <br />
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On the other hand, regarding the appointment of Graham Whatley as the City Attorney and the subsequent action to rescind the appointment, the Court of Appeals reversed the decision of the Oldham Circuit Court. In essence, the Court of Appeals found that the Council had the authority to rescind the appointment at any time up to the point that all of the conditions of the appointment had been met.<br />
City Councilman Jason Taylor stated “It is now time for Graham Whatley to step aside, as he has never been a valid city attorney. It is unfortunate that Mayor Carter has caused taxpayer money to be spent on this unnecessary and meritless lawsuit. I suggest that Graham Whatley reimburse to the city every dime that he has been paid to him by Mayor Carter, and that such funds be given back to the taxpayers.” He also stated that he thought that the Council should not pay any more money to Graham Whatley for services after the date of the decision, October 15, 2010.<br />
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Mayor Elsie Carter stated that she had not discussed the decision with her attorney but that there was a good possibility that she would appeal the decision.Dewey Wotringhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15538815580599319916noreply@blogger.com