Balancing the County’s Budget Deficits
on the Backs of ChildrenBy Ray A. March
Part 18
Jan. 10, 2002
Knoch Takes It Personally
The day following the commission’s meeting at which members of the public said they had concerns and were suspicious of the county’s handling of Prop. 10 funds coupled with Commissioner Rosemary Nelson’s allegation that information held by the county was being kept secret, an offended Treasurer Cheryl Knoch surfaced with a memo to Donna Michelson.
Knoch’s entire memo follows:
“I would like to receive agendas for all the future Children and Families Commission meetings, in advance of the meeting. I would also like to receive the past two meeting’s minutes, when they are available.
“It was brought to my attention today that there was a presentation of an audit report of the Children and Families Commission’s financial transactions last evening and that my name and office was brought up during the presentation of the audit. I find it very unfortunate that I was not invited or made aware of the meeting. I would have liked to hear the presentation, which supposedly questioned my investment strategies and be given the opportunity to clear up any misunderstandings.
“I feel that I deserve to review a copy of the actual audit report that was disclosed at the meeting, and I would like to have a copy of the Children and Families Commission by-laws that are in effect.
“I believe that I have been very cooperative with you and your requests and with giving the information requested by the auditing accountant’s office. If that is not your perception, I would like to hear your reasoning.”
In effect, assuming the best defense is an offense, Knoch denied the allegations of Nelson, reprimanded Michelson and make her own demands on the commission.
Before the month was over, Phillip Smith would send a hand written note to Michelson asking her to find a way the commission could circumvent state law and keep the Prop. 10 funds in the treasury.
Next: Part 19
But Smith’s odd request was still in Michelson’s future. First she had to respond to Knoch’s memo.
2 comments:
It is interesting that the attitude in 2002 still prevails today: Too many elected officials take it as a personal offense to disagree with them. Just look at item number 13 on tuesday's agenda: "DISCUSSION/INFORMATION: Discussion and/or ways and means of ridding this county of the Department of Forestry & Fire Protection." Nobody is even given a chance to disagree here. It is already decided by Cantrall that there will be no discussion as to whether or not this SHOULD be done, only how to do it. By this she lets everybody know she is bypassing any discussion so shut up and sit down. AND THE BEAT GOES ON.
9:49AM, this is because Cantrall, Knoch and others are still in government, "representing" the rest of us with our best interests at heart.
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