Editor, The Smithfield Times:

For several days I have been thinking about what I observed at our last Board of Supervisors meeting, and I must say I am embarrassed by the major lack of basic decorum exhibited by members of the board and county administration.

Our elected board members and the representative of county administration sitting at the table in front of our citizens who elected them should in all cases lead by and show respect for the citizens of our beautiful county just as they demand respect and the exhibition of basic decorum from our citizens when we address them.

First, during the public hearing our county administrator did not look at speakers and spent her time looking down, ignoring our citizens.

Secondly, the deputy administrator spent his time making faces and laughing openly at citizens as they spoke, expressing complete disregard to citizens comments.

Thirdly, our board member representing the citizens of Claremont kept interrupting citizens as they spoke, telling them they did not understand how the proposed ordinance worked when in fact the proposed ordinance had not yet been finalized before it was presented for public hearing, which should have never happened. This action alone expressed to the citizens that the ordinance was being pushed on them and that a majority of the board had already decided to approve the proposed ordinance being discussed.

Fourthly, no action was taken by our board’s chair to correct these obvious displays of the lack of basic decorum being expressed in front of a room full of our citizens.

These are examples of why there is a growing divide between citizens and those who were elected to represent us. This display of the lack of leadership must be addressed by the chair of the board just as she did when she felt citizens were displaying a lack of basic decorum.

 

Robert Chandler

Smithfield

Bacon’s Castle District of Surry