Editorial
While there is a degree of entertainment value attached to the goings on within the workings of government, at the local level, Fisher County officials simply refuse to give up their title of crowd favorite, and while on one hand, I’m pleased to cover something other than a plain-vanilla public meeting, on the other, I’m simply exhausted by the stupidity of it all.
Keeping to the comparison of livestreamed public meetings to reality television, the decided viewer favorite is the Stonewall Memorial Hospital District, consistently capturing upwards of 1,000 views per meeting, especially if it’s a juicy one.
However, SMHD’s show may have jumped the shark with the replacement of a string of controversial CEOs with the more low-key Michael Moorhead. And with one of the show’s favorite and outspoken characters, Director Michael Shugart announcing he does not plan to return after the end of his term, future ratings are a roll of the dice.
While SMHD is the undisputed champion for public engagement, nobody can touch the Fisher County Courthouse when it comes to shock value.
The Fisher County officials were notorious for their bare-knuckle fiscal deliberations long before internet streaming. These annual cage matches come around as regularly as fundraising telethons or government spending plans, and where once this newspaper had the discretion to clean up some of the stupid things that came out of officials’ mouths, there is little to be done about live entertainment.
What has there been in just the past year or so alone? Two or three threats of contempt of court, at least two F-bombs, more than one screaming match in executive session, and so many open displays of hostilities that I've lost count. Scroll back through the video archives on our Facebook page, and chances are that if you see Commissioner Preston Martin and Attorney Michael Hall in the same episode, there’s a good chance there was a fight.
When Martin wasn’t fighting with Hall, his go-to sparring partner has been Fisher County Auditor Becky Mauldin. While there have been a few dust-ups between commissioners as well as other officials, none have been as consistent as battles between these three characters.
Then bang, a few months ago, Commissioner Martin gets indicted on charges of theft, and there was rejoicing throughout the land as a dirty official was on the verge of going down. Now, let’s see what happens when we pull this thread. Whoops, it all unraveled.
Not swept under the rug like so many officials’ dastardly deeds have been in the county’s history. The case, simply, unraveled.
Officially the motion to dismiss cited insufficient evidence, which is true when the defense provides exculpatory evidence. Not sure if anyone was watching last month when Martin practically testified, sharing a good deal of the evidence that explained every action he had taken, none of which was remotely criminal.
However, from another perspective, it could have appeared as though a crime had been committed. Especially if you are only looking to gather evidence to prove a case and not uncover the truth.
I would like to thank the AG’s office for the thoroughness of their investigative efforts, as it was their work that led to both the indictment and subsequent vindication in one lackluster movement. In all that time, no one thought to ask the suspect why he applied what appeared to be private gravel to a county road. Holy tunnelvision Batman. Every story has to have a good twist as it evolves though. So here you go. Commissioner Martin applied this not-so-stolen-after-all gravel to CR-346, which turns to the east as FM 3205 runs out of pavement. The dirt road that continues where 3205 leaves off, is commonly referred to as Rough Creek Road.
Commissioner Martin first informed Hall of the damaged roads in the Rough Creek area in a meeting in 2019. After three years of screaming at each other with the only action being taken to repair the road resulting in an indictment, I suppose there should be little surprise to learn that Hall is now also in the crosshairs of the AG’s investigative team.
A colleague reminded me this week that if you are going to set out to kill the king, you better kill the king.
However, the OAG hasn't been great at the metaphorical plate in Fisher County before, no telling what voters can expect regarding election rules and integrity from post-election OAG. The office at least responds to most of my questions. Or at least, it did.
Here's a reality check. Regardless of how Counselor Hall fairs with the AG, taxpayers are still going to be faced with the same challenge in his absence. Who else ya got?
The county attorney’s office has to be filled with a qualified attorney. It’s another one of those rules like residing within the territory of which the office is held. Maybe Hall doesn’t live here, but neither does any other attorney, and he wanted the job enough to pay the filing fee twice.
Whether he is removed from office through quo warranto, gracefully concludes his term in two years, or gets pissed and resigns during court next week, Fisher County officials need to exercise their weakest muscle: Forethought.
I won’t deny being as curious as the rest of you to see what new information is shared as these and other stories evolve, but I also must admit I am tired of watching the people we elect spend so much of their time flinging the poo they scooped from the bucket of petty technicalities and miscommunications.
Cheer on your favorite character if you like. As for me, I’m ready to turn this car around and head back to the ballot box.