Sandy James has finally called it quits as a member of the Barry County Board of Commissioners, according to a front page story in the Hastings Banner of April 27. She announced her decision at the April 25 board meeting, publicly letting her colleagues in on her little secret that she has prayed to God every two years since 1992 to seek His guidance on whether or not to seek another term.
Her comment reminded me of professional athletes who tell the world on camera about how God granted their wishes to win the Super Bowl, the World Series or whatever contest was being broadcast. As TV commentator Andy Rooney said after the Buffalo Bills’ last-minute field goal attempt failed to win the 1991 Super Bowl, the publicly pious displays from both teams
along the sidelines seemed disrespectful to a God with so many other more important things on His plate.
So the God who announced from the mountaintop that year he was a fan of the New York Giants also told Sandy James recently it’s time for her to step down after 14 years on the Barry County Board. I’m sure Sandy would say God answers all prayers, no matter how insignificant, but I think it’s insulting to the serious business of praying to God to suggest he’ll get you that bicycle you’ve been wanting, like he’s Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. It’s also more than a bit selfish to suggest God directed you to serve in public office and protected you against your electoral enemies in each election until now.
Forgive my cynicism, but I suggest Sandy had other reasons for not running again, which I brought up in an earlier post. For one, she has remarried after her first husband’s death and just last month took a splendid honeymoon vacation with her new beau in Aruba. Now that she has a new man in her life, she has reason to do things other than county business. She is much more financially secure. Another possible reason is that this time she might face a formidable opponent in the August primary, retired detective Ken DeMott. My inside political sources tell me DeMott had an excellent chance to unseat James, the longest serving commissioner in Barry County history with seven two-year terms.
Her decision allows her to go out with the band playing, rather than the sudden shock and indignity that Marge Radant and Orvin Moore suffered in 1994 when they were turned away at the polls. It isn’t often a Republican incumbent loses, but when it happens, it’s an embarassment for the one who is told by voters to take a hike.
So despite Sandy’s insisting that the Almighty spoke to her from Most on High and told her not to seek an eighth two-year, the better bet is that she may be naive and sometimes comes up with the most ridiculous explanations for her behavior, she’s not entirely politically stupid after serving on the board for 14 years. In other words, folks, she saw the handwriting on the wall. Say, isn’t that phrase taken from a biblical passage? See, God spoke to Sandy after all!
More important is that Sandy’s announcement means more change on the County Board, which has to be good news for a beleaguered local government sorely lacking in leadership, vision, toughness, intelligence, (you fill in the blanks for the rest of the way). Ken Neil, Jeff MacKenzie and Sandy James have been retired, either at the ballot box or by understanding of what lies ahead. Now it’s time to set sights on Tom Wing and throw his arse into a snowbank in December. Bring it on.
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6 comments:
A laugh a minute! Why buy the Detroit News on Sunday when I can tune to the Pol Guy! Good Luck to Ken DeMott, don't know him, but have heard alot of good things about him over the years. Ken, just one favor, don't hook up with that Carr character in Rutland, for "Gods" sakes! LOL Made my day!
God must be very unhappy with the way things are going in Barry County if he is speaking to our elected officials.
You Heathens don't know? Charlie Nystrom or Ron Neil is GOD! They're fighting over who walked on water first! Oh, forgot, Luann in there also, says GOD was a woman and could be her! LOL
mr. pol watcher,
Do you realize that the absence of Sandy James will most likely bring about a change in the county board's chairmanship? If Clare Tripp is ousted as chair, who do you think is the "best of the rest" for chair and vice-chair?...please, I value your opinion....d.t.
Tripp without James is like Bush without Cheney so I don't see her as chair next year. Though I'm often suprised by such matters and I hate to prejudice the outcome by even guessing but you did ask: Michael Callton's my bet to become the next chair of the county board. No offense to Callton but he's got enough of an ego to do it- that's not a back handed compliment as it takes a certain bit of that to step up to the plate knowing people are going to be trying to knife you in the back the minute you become the leader. I also think he seems interested in the issues (believe it or not some of the people who run for office don't actually seem all that interested in the job once they get there). I think Nevins and Gibson could support Callton as chair. Adams and French are wild cards but I can see one or both supporting Callton as well. Plus, anybody able to navigate the waters of Nashville politics and those of a local school board in any area in these troubled times for public schools as Callton has can easily do well heading the county board. That's my two cents anyway...
"Knived in the back," or just being called on your "clique" membership and devotion, plus not listening to the people who put you in office? What a strange bunch!
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