There isn't really a good old boy network, is there?

I wish I was an attorney. I only represent myself, sometimes. I read some stuff I found called the Constitution a couple times. That lead me to read the writings of Tom Jefferson. Which usually leads a novice to read transcripts of Abe Lincoln's examinations. Then I was hooked, and had to read this book called Black's Law cover to cover. It's a trap though, once you read Black's you're stuck buying and reading everything ever written by Bryan Garner. That's how they get you.

And I thought I was streetsmart, I fell for the oldest trick in the book.

I'm sure you get this all the time in legal proceedings, but you are aware that someone who acts as their own attorney has a fool for a client?

SN, I think this is my point - I am not saying that the system doesn't work most of the time, I am just saying it is closed. I know that the hiring process for the county is fair; frankly, everyone I have worked with in the offices at the Annex beats the pants off of the folks I had to deal with in Georgia. Every time I go into Rhonda Skipper's office I want to buy everyone there donuts.

The point is, you are in the network, you know how things work and you know how to get things done. When you are on the outside, things look like a stone wall. We find out about events long after they happen, and when they don't make sense, you can't get an answer from anyone about why they happened (like the ridiculously overpriced parcel the School District bought for the new middle school in PW, or the beachfront property the county bought because the guy wasn't allowed to build condos there, or the county commissioner who built all of the temporary seawalls). When the DEP has to resort to helicopters to find out where temporary seawalls are, you have a closed county government.

I imagine that you and your family have been in the network so long, you can't imagine what it is like to live outside of it and how hard it is to comprehend what it going on.

I think you are still being incredibly insulting. All of the issues you list are related to the BCC and not the individual county offices. SN is basically low woman on the totem pole. No one other than the Sheriff really has a standing over the BCC. If you want to lose your job with the county real quick though, stand up and point out mistakes, errors, or down right illegal behavior by a memeber of the BCC.

The actions of the BCC are not for the county employees to monitor, but the citizens who elect them.

P.S. I lived in Bay County for 10 years and I can tell you that the county staff in Walton County is beyond superior in knowledge, helpfulness, and overall competency.

I voted against buying the "ridiculously overpriced" parcel for the new middle school. Not so much for the price, which I thought was high, but we bought without access to Highway 98. We eventually got the access, but, that lack of access had me worried.

If I am a good ole boy, and it is arguable that I am, I am not very good at being one. My brother was demoted and my sister fired in a span of 13 months from jobs within in the school system. They both loved those jobs and were crushed by the action. So what does that tell you about "good ole boys" in the school system. :idontno:

gayboi, you're not telling me anything about having a fool for a client. That I am, very much so.

SWGB, I think I already stated that I though the staff here was excellent. Twice.

I also never said that anyone here had anything to do with the events I described.

I said that people in the network have an easier time understanding WHY these things happened.

I really don't know how pervasive the "good ol' boy" network is at this time but I believe our county commissioners do one whale of a job considering the ordinances they have to work with and all the other obstacles thrown in their faces. The amount of time and effort they expend on issues in comparison to the reimbursement they receive is mind boggling.
All you really have to do is attend a commission meeting or two to understand what I am talking about. They do a superlative job considering all that confronts them.

SWGB, I think I already stated that I though the staff here was excellent. Twice.

I also never said that anyone here had anything to do with the events I described.

I said that people in the network have an easier time understanding WHY these things happened.

Reread your own post, it's an underhanded compliment. You praise the staff and then go on to say that SN is in the network. She is not, she is a county employee. To imply that the county staff is equal to the good ol' boy network is still an insult.

Members of the good ol' network are not usually the ones staffing the offices. A 9-5 job working for the county is not their goal.

They are the ones donating to campaigns, wining and dining (or golfing) elected officials, meeting their cronies to choose who they want elected, paying their employees cash to vote for certain candidates, and who manage to avoid a lot of paperwork, sunshine laws, and other minor inconveniences others cannot. :roll:

Then I'm sorry, maybe network is not the right word. "Insider" maybe? I wasn't really thinking that network was an insult. I guess it is.

I understand that the people staffing the offices are not the ones getting the perks from the commissioners. I get it.

I do think that working for the county would give you some insight into the personalities, histories and as I said, the reasons that things happen.

The good old gull network = The Wenches :wave:

The good old gull network = The Wenches :wave:

There's a group that scares the sheet out of me. :yikes:

The good old gull network = The Wenches :wave:

one network that really works around here is the coconut telegraph.

There's a group that scares the sheet out of me. :yikes:

Hmmmm. I could have sworn I saw you hobnobbing with several wenches just the other day. :lol: No doubt more that a few will be at Criolla's this morning.

Hmmmm. I could have sworn I saw you hobnobbing with several wenches just the other day. :lol: No doubt more that a few will be at Criolla's this morning.

Shhh, see you there. :wave: