Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Let's Name the Courthouse for Terry Riley

How does "Terry Riley's Jackson County Courthouse" sound?

Terry Riley has filed to run against Fred Arbanas for County Legislature. Riley has my whole-hearted, enthusiastic support. Arbanas has been on the legislature since it was created. He has been a part of the legislature while crimes were committed, while ethics rules were avoided, and while shady deals were passed.

He has been there for every misdeed of the county legislature. I can't say whether he knew about them or not. Either way, though, he was either oblivious or involved. Neither answer is good.

Worse, he even allowed the County's only golf course to be named after himself. While it is always a bad idea to name public facilities after living politicians, it's even worse when a county names one of its nicest parks after a guy who votes for parks budgets, and who benefits from having signs and advertisements trumpeting his name during an election. It was a horrible, corrupt trick to play when it happened, and Arbanas should have had the good sense and integrity to refuse the honor.

But he didn't.

So now he's in a genuine, competitive race for "his" seat on the county legislature. To make amends for the fact that the county has promoted the Fred Arbanas golf course for years, they should rename the Jackson County Courthouse for Terry Riley, at least until the election is over. And, since Arbanas' name has been on signs out on "his" course for years, the county should install neon signs at the top of the courthouse proclaiming the new name.

It's only fair.

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10 Comments:

Anonymous Nick said...

I see the bears are through slumbering; must be spring.

3/31/2010 10:14 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You are "right on" about Fred. You have filed to mention his work on the Land Use Committee where he ensures all his supporters get County funded projects and special concessions when they parcel out those lots in Southeastern JaCo.
He is the primary player behind the Little Blue Trace theft of park land. 800,000 cubic yards of fresh dirt were given to Ken McClain, a developer because he funded the campaigns of several legislators and gave legal assistance to the County.

BTW that multi-million dollar fiasco has never been settled in the past four years.

3/31/2010 12:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dan, what are your thoughts on Terry's Citidel Plaza?

3/31/2010 12:48 PM read the paper, the dispute was settled earlier this month.

3/31/2010 9:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What if they promise to never ever run again???

3/31/2010 10:32 PM  
Blogger Dan said...

Anonymous 9:47 -

WRONG! The case was "settled" in 2006, but nothing has changed, and the situation remains, in Arbanas' words, a "legal mess".

4/01/2010 5:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The case was not "settled" in 2006 and according to legal precedent, the park land needs to be restored to its original condition.
Back in 1984 Arbanas et. al CV85-26395 had a little cleanup work on county park land after allowing Stephenson Energy Corp drill some oil wells on county park land. Every last tree and bush was ordered to be put back the way it was. Today the DNR must certify the same has been done.
We all know the drainage lake still exists and the dirt is missing. So Dan, check your facts and stop taking a legislator's word as truth.

4/01/2010 11:44 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

PS
The law suit CV85-03609 was original brought against the county by Edward Rucker who was curiously the county counselor at the time of the theft by Ken McClain.

Check out the documents i emailed to you .

4/01/2010 11:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Confused.
"Arbanas has been on the legislature since it was created. He has been a part of the legislature while crimes were committed, while ethics rules were avoided, and while shady deals were passed."

But you support TR for office? Can anyone else imagine a Legislature with Terry Riley, Henry Rizzo, Dan Tarwater and James Tindall?

4/02/2010 3:29 AM  
Blogger Dan said...

Anonymous 11:44 -

Perhaps you posted your response as an April Fool's joke, but you're wildly off base. The Ken McClain stuff didn't happen until two decades after the lawsuit you're bringing up. I'm right; you're wrong.

Anonymous 3:29 -

Rizzo is going to lose his reelection bid, and Tindall may do the same. Riley will be a good addition to the legislature simply because he is not one of the "good old boys" who have done so much damage to our county.

4/02/2010 9:47 AM  
Anonymous inafunkaboutthefunk said...

Terry Riley would make a good addition to a Federal Prsion as an inmate. Next thing you will suggest is the Funk as a County Legislator. I wonder after the Mayor's Race and the Funk is expunged whether you'll let you fixation with All Things Funkhouser go.

4/11/2010 6:12 PM  

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