Wednesday, September 07, 2005

Dear anonymous

I recently wrote a blog, criticizing the Timberlake Fire District for not being able to appreciate the recently departed Fire Chief.

I just read an anonymous comment suggesting that the Chief had covered up an egregious act by one of his staff, and that, in effect, I didn't know what I was talking about.

A tax supported agency such as a fire district is obligated to keep the people that hire them, "read public", informed about important events that affect us all. Hiding behind "It's a personnel issue" and the implication that it's none of our business is bull-poop.

Being uninformed, or worse, misinformed is not a proper function of elected officials. I have no way of determining whether this source was accurate, since they didn't sign their name so that I could follow up.

Being, what I consider, a responsible blogger, I would never alter the known facts to support someone that didn't deserve it. Staying mum on the facts simply encourage rumors, most of which end up being not true.

The key here is the word "KNOWN". If I have served any function here, it would be to get the subject out in the open for others to question.

If the officials involved here know of a criminal act performed by one of the staff, it would be their obligation to report it to the authorities for proper action.

I sign my name to everything I write, whether fact or opinion. It would be helpful that others do the same...

1 comment:

Bill McCrory said...

Herb,

I agree completely that some public administrators do abuse the "personnel matter" just as they abuse the "executive session" at council meetings.

Unfortunately, employeers have become targets of defamation lawsuits by releasing details about personnel matters. If an allegation against an employee is not provably true, it is most likely defamatory when repeated publicly and the employee is harmed. Sad but true.

So...have you started treatment yet?