The Resignation of Pierre Billard
Pierre Billard -Director of the Giles County Office of Emergency Management has stated his intention of resigning after the closing of the Emergency Management Office on 12 July 2007. Mr. Billard gave as the reason for the closure as, "Commissioner Stoney Jackson sponsored a change to the Giles County 2007-2008 budget that eliminated funding for the Office of Emergency Management Deputy Director position. This change to the County budget was approved by the Budget Committee. Therefore as of 30 June 2007 Mr. James Stewart is no longer employed by Giles County as the Deputy Director of the Office of Emergency Management. I have worked as an unpaid and uncompensated volunteer since May 2004. It was my desire that Giles County would embrace the Office of Emergency Management and make it a viable public safety entity and fund a full-time salaried employee. Mr. Stoney Jackson does not seem to be willing to support this desire. I cannot and will not continue subsidizing Giles County as an uncompensated volunteer. Over the next two weeks we will be placing our administrative files in order, preparing reports regarding on-going projects, transferring financial accounts and finalizing all other administrative matters."
Mr. Billard went on to state, "I do want to make one point very clear; Ms. Janet P. Vanzant, Giles County Executive, has been ardent supporter of this office and of me personally. Ms. Vanzant has done whatever she could to make the Giles County Office of Emergency Management a pro-active safety office". -- Allen Barrett
Mr. Billard went on to state, "I do want to make one point very clear; Ms. Janet P. Vanzant, Giles County Executive, has been ardent supporter of this office and of me personally. Ms. Vanzant has done whatever she could to make the Giles County Office of Emergency Management a pro-active safety office". -- Allen Barrett
posted by J. Kendrick McPeters | 10:29 PM
67 Comments:
what a shame it is that slowly but surely people that care about giles county are being eased out the door one way or another.
It is time for Mr. Jackson to go home and stay and get off the commission.
anonymous (4:11)
Your statement is simply false!
Giles County will continue to get what is deserves, and continue to lag behind other counties as long as we have regressive dumb butts running the county.
WAB and his band of troublemakers don't help much either. They only run more decent folks off.
anonymous..
Thank you for the above post. Now bart and his cohorts will realize that someone else besides me has a problem with the great one (aka wab)and his band of malcontents.
If they are so unhappy here, I would rather they leave than run others off.
I would be very interested in what decent folks have left the county because of me.
Your post seems very strange on the one hand you complain about "regressive dumb butts running the county" but then complain because there are some who try to clean up the mess. Are you more dissatisfied with the way things are, are with the idea that someone is trying to make things better?
As for the so called "band of troublemakers" perhaps you would be so kind as to identify them I would be very interested in who they are.
Allen Barrett
WAB had NOTHING to do with Pierre Billard giving up his position as director of Emergency Management. Read Pierre's letter or the news - you will find it was Stoney Jackson. Or is Stoney Jackson here trying to divert the blame away from himself and try to dump it on WAB? I smell something fishy here.
wab..
Please outline in simple English what you are actually trying to do to make things better for us here in Giles County. Could you be specific as to who you want to get removed from elected office, laws you want changed, etc.?
Thus far, all I have seen is trouble and bickering.
I mean that WAB (and his kind) runs the good (and potentially good) candidates from running for office, therefore, we are left with a bunch of regressive dumb butts to make decisions for our county!
The more we elect, the more dumb butts we have helping make these regressive decisions.
anonymous..
You are so right about that. I have talked to people who have said they would run for office were it not for the little group of whiners.
The budget committee has no authority to make changes to budgets, or to make any binding decisions. The committee only makes recommendations to the full commission.
Anonymous of the July 14, 2007 9:22 post asks, "wab.. Please outline in simple English what you are actually trying to do to make things better for us here in Giles County. Could you be specific as to who you want to get removed from elected office, laws you want changed, etc.? Thus far, all I have seen is trouble and bickering".
In simple English what I would be very satisfied with is to have officials who will act openly and honestly with integrity toward the people they represent. I would certainly like to see controls put on wasteful spending and citizens able to keep more of their hard earned money. Presently there are some officials who do not feel accountable to the people and I simply try to help hold them accountable. It is my belief that a government that is open will act more responsibly while a government that acts in secret and deceitful toward its people will become oppressive and non-responsive toward those people. Being a lifelong conservative my basic belief is that less government is almost always a better government.
There is no one I would especially like to see removed from office but there are some who act more abusive than others, I merely would like to see them conform their behavior to the law and higher levels of integrity.
There are many laws that need changing and enforcement. Two that would greatly impact this county would be allowing voters to elect a school superintendent and attaching a heavy personal fine to violations of the state open meetings law. One thing I see with the city is that moving to an appointed City Administrator will result with basically the same level of responsiveness to the people as an appointed school director.
As for “trouble and bickering” have you ever known change to take place without it? Most all compulsory discipline is met with trouble and bickering. I hope this answers your question, thanks. Allen Barrett
You were doing pretty good until your last paragraph. Your trouble making and bickering because of change are two entirely different things. If you could only see yourself in someone else, then you would see how wrong you are.
And I (anonymouslikebart) did not write that.
Maybe it is time to have a name change ? Instead of Giles County how about Ostrich County ??
People here seem prepared NOT to see the things that go on in government simply because their Grand-daddy did things that way .
WAKE UP Taxpayers you ARE being ripped off by a bunch of good-ole girls and boys .
Need proof ? Read Don M's analysis of the Ostrich County school budget in this weeks newspaper . MORE uncontrolled and non-accountable spending than you ever imagined .
We can but hope the new soon-to-be Finance Director read it and is sharpening her pencil (assuming she has one !) to take on the miscreants on the Hill -in their soon-to-be New Palace .
Prune Juice .....makes things happen
prune..
If the malcontents have evidence why don't they turn it over to the proper authorities and let them handle it? I've asked that question before, but all they want to say is that the authorities are just as corrupt.
Such paranoia and distrust. If everybody here is so low-down dishonest, why don't you and the "enlightened few" hop a bus heading North?
To a-nag-u-must, I'm not very enlightened would you tell me where the bus stop is. Yes you've asked that question before but you have failed to get someone to read you the answer. You are an enabler which is the worse kind of idiot because you think your are actually for what's good while you enable that which is bad, corrupt, and dishonest. I really wonder if you will ever be able to understand. It's really too bad because you possibly could have been an actual benefit instead of a benefactor.
8:37 The evidence was put in the paper for you and the entire county. It's very simple. Revenue is unequivocally falsified to create an illusion that taxes must be increased. They are drowning in money, but more is never enough. It is fraud, but if you can't read & don't have a dictionary, you don't know that.
As was said before, it's now common public knowledge - let's see who wants to jump in there and legitimize this fraudulent document.
As for a bus ride, felony fraud over $1 million is a pretty serious thing. It could get someone a free ticket - a bus ride to a facility that gives free room, meals, & health care.
PS, I haven't talked to Mr. Bottoms or Mr. Helton & have no negative feelings about either one, matter of fact, the feelings are quite positive. Next time you comment, be sure to keep that in what little mind you have.
don m
unsmart
Yeah, you are one of the enlightened few. As I said, if you don't like it here, hop a bus headed North. We can do just fine without you. While you are at it, take don with you. He's terribly unhappy as well.
Why would you want to live around a bunch of ignorant and dishonest people? It's like casting your pearls before swine, isn't it?
To A-NAG-U-MUST, You still didn't tell me where the bus stops. Could it be that one so intelligent and informed doesn't know something so simple and basic about the place you live in? Laughing here.
I don't want to live around a bunch of ignorant and dishonest people that is why so much effort is being put into education and character training.
unsmartbart...
You called me an idiot and an enabler (both nouns), but I am sure you were only describing my behavior, right? Laughable.
You can catch the bus at the bus station in Pulaski. Please take don with you, since he is apparently so miserable here as well.
Don't cast your pearls before swine. Take action and hop the bus! We will sorely and surely miss you both.
Please tell me O great enlightened one where is the bus stop? Is the bus stop in the Cracker Barrel at exit 22? I can't hop a bus my knees are too weak, my back is too bent and I'm going to have an ingrown toenail.
I called you an idiot and an enabler because of your behavior you have reached a level where your behavior has become you thus you and your behavior can not be separated.
unsmart..
So, you were just trying to describe my behavior? Oh, I should have known you weren't calling me names. You have more class about you than that.
Why don't you call Mrs. Vanzant's office to get directions to the bus station in Pulaski? I'm sure she would be more than happy to assist you.
Just wondering? Hmmmmm? Did the hiring of a new Emergency Director go before any committee?
No, it did not.
Incidentally, the hiring of Ms Judy Roberts as a Consultant did not go before any committee either. Her pay was hidden within the budget of the finance office and that budget was passed by the commission yesterday. No one questioned it!
Only reference to Ms Roberts being a "consulant" was made by Mrs. Vanzant, stating Roberts would be working as one. No discussion of creating another position, no discussion of pay, and NO VOTES.
Wake up commissioners.
How can we hire a "consultant" with an unballanced budget? expenses are projected to be $47.7 million and income is expected to be $46.6? where will the $1.1 million come from? yess we can use an ambulance service station in the north but $200K ? a building costs that much?
anonymous..
Let me explain something to you in simplest terms. Ms. Roberts is NOT hired as a consultant. Why don't you investigate this for yourself instead of suggesting impropriety?
The reason there's so much turmoil in this county is because of a small group of malcontents who apparently aren't happy unless something is stirred up.
A-nag-u-must how can you be so stupid? It is Mrs Vanzant who has described Mrs Roberts as a consultant several different times. Are you saying that your dream girl may be lying and should be investigated?
The reason there is so much turmoil in this county is because of your small little tiny brain cell that is accustomed to malfunctioning.
my mama always said if there was nothing to srir up then nothing would stink....so how could a small band of malcontents stir up nothing if there was nothing there???
sign me just curious???
Its $250,000 for north end ambulance, not $200,000! And from what I understand the building is already there. behind Richland school. Maybe a bunch of the $250,000 will go for salaries. Heard today someone got a raise at the ambulance service to $30 an hour! (a female).
Bad Fart blows a lot of smoke!
silly bart
Go ask Mrs. Vanzant yourself. I happen to KNOW what I am talking about.Why are you trying to stir up trouble about this? Absolutely asinine.
Someone just posted that nothing would stink if there is nothing to stir. Actually, the old saying is that the more you stir something that stinks, the worse it will get.
But I take issue with that post. A perfectly innocent and honest person can, on this blog, be characterized as an evil and sneaky person who will do anything for power or money. I've seen people demonized on here unfairly. I believe troublemakers love that, and I've never understood why.
But anonymous 7:27 AM, you are the evil and sneaky person. You are also the troublemaker. The "malconents and whiners" and the Richland parents are only stating the facts and you cant face that for some reason.
If you have trouble believing vanzant is the one who identified judy roberts as a consultant just ask those on the finance committee and those on the financial management committee and several commissioners that actually attend meetings other than the ones they get paid for.
Sounds like we need that group back that brought Steve Gill down here a couple of years back but not to just address the taxing issues. Maybe they could get involved in the ethics problems as well. I went to that meeting on a stormy December night. Bunch of people there so shows a load of people are not happy. Anybody remember the name of that organization?
Organization was known as C>A>R>T> (Citizens Against Repressive Taxation)
anonymous...
According to Mrs. Roberts, she is retired. So what if she is gracious enough to help train the new employee?
Are you guys happy with anything here? Hopping that bus North is always an option.
I have come to realize that it takes absolutely no intelligence to become a County Commissioner.A good example isStoney Jackson from Minor Hill. His only formal education may have come from the "joints" on the Alabama line where he majored in stupidity and alcohol abuse. It surprises me that the citizens of Minor Hill would stoop so low as to cast a vote for such an ignorant person who lacks any education at all. Breathing and eating seem to be the only creditials he possesses. Has he done anything positive for Giles County except shop in Alabama? Vote idiots like Stoney Jackson off the commmission as soon as possible. He is helping destroy Giles County one ignorant thought at a time.
If Judy Roberts is "retired" why does she say she's "working" when you see her at the courthouse? And if she's "retired" why is the county continuing to pay her a wage? She's not doing it for free so I see nothing "gracious" in it. Being a CPA it makes you wonder how much training the new employee needs. Shame indeed.
Anonymous...
She is "working", but you know what the situation is, don't you? That being said, why are you fussing and trying to make trouble? Don't we have enough troublemakers without you?
Do you expect Judy to just help the new employee withoput any pay for doing so? That is shameful if you think that! Would you do it?
As for new "training" Judy is there to show her a few things before she goes solo. Surely, you can understand that.
Get a darned life!
Not "fussing" just an attempt to get the record straight and to dispute your incorrect statements. Get the facts straight. Too many people know what is correct and that your statements are not correct.
teddy..
You are wrong...so typical of you whiners.
I did check and Judy has been there TWICE to show the new girl a few things she needed to know.
get a life and stop whining!
Anonymous of 3:00 PM
You contradicted yourself.
anonymous..
Wrong! I checked today and got that information. Why is this a big problem for you? Can't you just lighten up and let Ms. Garner have a chance to do the job?
And some people do not accept the fact that people outside Giles County are laughing at us for all the bickering. Unbelievable.
why would anyone in Giles county care if "other" counties are laughing???
the only "bickering" i see is right here and my mama always said it takes two to argue...
if two people saw things the same way one of them would not be necessary...
you also proved my point by going all the way back to an old post just to get in the last word on a post but made sure to say you were not being a smart alec when i didn't even say i was tired of reading the same ole' same ole' you told me to change the channel...
btw i was making fun of you for always having to have the last word which you did by trying to intimidate like you do in every post...
wonder how far back i could go just to see if you really have so little to do but read this blog????
anonymous...
Why don't you guys investigate the entire blog? That would give you something to do. In so doing, I believe you would find that I am not the only one in Giles County who stands opposed to mean-spirited tactics.
By the way, it takes two to argue or debate. That is true. But it only takes one to whine and malign while the victim has more class than to respond to that level.
I wonder if when some of people that tried to warn the anonymouses about Hitlers' method of running the country, the anonymouses called them whiners? There is a true saying, "If we do not learn from the past we are doomed to repeat it". The non-whiners are unable to see what is happening. They are either blind or short a few bricks for a full load.
los..
That was a totally ridiculous assertion on your part. I happen to be a combat veteran who loves this country. I have seen first hand the ramifications of Totalitarianism and the like. And you say those like me lack vision and that we are either blind or short a few bricks because we don't go along with whatever you people say? Preposterous!
Your comparison of whiners to those in Hitler's concentration camps is absolutely a stretch. But you knew that, didn't you?
There goes ole a-nag-u-must again. He got drafted and did what he was told to do and now thinks because he did everyone should recognize he loves his country. John Murtha is a combat veteran but sure has an odd way of showing his love for his country. Being in combat does not necessarily reflect anything other than you had a part of your life made very ugly.
It's sort of like telling your wife since I married you I don't have to do anything else to actually show how I feel about you.
To love your country, or your wife requires a constant activity that seeks the best for both.
A-nag-u-must once again you missed the boat but we're used to than by now.
unsmart...
You must be on weekend pass from the mental institution. Am I right about that?
Are you the anonymous poster who calls him or herself LOS? If so, you just proved my partial diagnosis that you suffer from multi-personality disorder. If not, then the post was not directed to you, was it?
My marital status is none of your business, so I'll not go there. Further, I don't need your marriage counseling. But who appointed you the judge of my continued patriotism? I don't have to defend that ridiculous comment. And, since you are using analogies, let me suggest that your being in a position to assess my love for this country is like your hero calling himself a reporter. Good analogy, right?
Speaking of liberal john murtha, I think he is a disgrace to this country. And I don't need your analysis of my patriotism. My going and doing what my country asked me to do proves that, whether you like it or not, I am a patriot. And I would do it again.
Now, if you are disgruntled with America, I would suggest you catch a plane to Cuba! How dare you!
Have I helped clear up any of your unbelievable misunderstandings? It's doubtful, but I have to keep trying.
Where oh where is my hero WAB?
Well, well ole a-nag-u-must is still at it trying so hard to prove he's not the idiot his every word reveals.
First you accuse me of being wab now los. Why can't you accept that you just don't have a clue if it's day or night unless someone tells you and give up this charade of thinking for yourself, you just don't have the proper equipment. I knew I should never have offered an analogy that would require you to think. I was not speaking of your wife specifically but of wife generically. Just keep it up going in circles and you'll end up being your own grandpa.
Once again Bad Fart, would you please just shut up and crawl back into your hole
unsmart..
But I offered you a true analogy, and it went right over your head. Would you go back and read my post again, and try to understand what I said? It was a simple but true comparison of your your hero being no more a "reporter" than you are able to assess my level of patriotism.
I never accused you of being anybody. However, I did ask if perhaps you might be the Great One in disguise.
By the way, what on earth is a generic wife? Is that some politically correct term I haven't heard about? Laughable as usual.
To a-nag-u-must,I didn't mention what you called your analogy because it was not only stupid it was just wrong.
There was no assessment of your patriotism only an observation of your inactivity in patriotic activities. That doesn't mean parades but your lack of involvement in making government better, more responsive and open to its citizens. You absolutely did accuse me of being wab, perhaps not by direct statement but by your accusatory nature of your question.
Now as for the term "generic wife" I'm sorry you don't get out enough to have someone expose you to new terms used to express thoughts, but then not having any thoughts of your own I suppose you don't really need any new terms. I stated, "I was not speaking of your wife specifically but of wife generically." I did not want you to think I was speaking specifically of your wife, I don't believe in involving family in situations not directly related to them. By identifying the word wife as a generic term means I was not speaking of any wife in particular.
Anonymous said...
los..
That was a totally ridiculous assertion on your part. I happen to be a combat veteran who loves this country. - And you say those like me lack vision and that we are either blind or short a few bricks because we don't go along with whatever you people say?
Your comparison of whiners to those in Hitler's concentration camps is absolutely a stretch.
Saturday, July 28, 2007 11:05:00 AM
If you love this county try getting off you bottom and try to help make our county goverment better for all the people. As for being a vet, big deal so am I and I was not drafted. But I still am working at making Gile a better place to live. In my past comment I didn't say anything about "concentration camps" Maybe you should go back and read it again. After reading you comment I believe you are a lot more then a few brick short of a load. I am los no one else is writing for me.
los..
I do NOT have to prove my love for my country and for Giles County to you. I knw what's in my heart, and, thank God, you are not my judge.
I do know that trying to character assassinate those I may not like in county government is NOT the way to make things better here. What would you suggest I do to make Giles County a better place to live? I certainly have no intentions of getting on this blog and calling people liars and other names.
If this makes me so many bricks short a load, then so be it!
To anonymous of 6:05 post.
If you are truly interested in getting an education about county government the simplest thing you can do is attend the committee meetings. Get copies of the budget and give it a close examination. Try to ask questions of the elected and appointed officials. Watch some of the goings and comings at the courthouse. Examine some of the facilities of the county. If you do these things for say three months I
would be willing to bet you'll become as frustrated as others who have done this. Allen Barrett
Does anyone out there find it odd that Mr. Billard resigning and Jim Stewart leaving the state at the same time. Could there be something hidding in the works
Jim Stewart is leaving the state because he has accepted a position with Northeast Junior College in Sterling, CO as an instructor with their Criminal Justice Department. needless to say the pay and benefits are much better than anything Giles County has to offer.
Perhaps the encounter group should launch an investigation into the timeliness of these resignations?
I'm sure something negative and sinister can be dug up, right?
Finally, I will not be attending meetings, inspecting facilities, reading copies of the budget, watching the courthouse like a hawk, etc. You see, I'm not a paranoid and distrustful person who thinks that anyone with a differing view from mine has either got to be totally dishonest, ignorant, or apathetic.
To a-nag-u-must, have you never heard the statement "trust but verify" that was the motto of a very great president. You don't have to be paranoid and distrustful of everyone but only a fool continues to completely trust those who have proven to be untrustworthy.
But that's OK, you just stay in the dark and don't educate yourself because if you don't know what's going on you don't have any responsibility for stopping it.
Of course that means you have no responsibility or privilege in making things better you just continue being a parasite living off the work of others. My, my you must be proud of yourself.
unsmart..
Yes, that's a famous quote by one of MY heroes, Ronald Wilson Reagan.
You have the nerve to call me an uneducated and uninformed idiot. You are so incredibly ignorant (describing your behavior) and know absolutely nothing about my education, credentials, and the like. But I try to overlook your "lack of knowledge" as your hero so often uses to "describe" the behavior of those who give him an oft-needed spanking. That, by the way, was figurative, so please do not try to put some deviant sexual spin on it, ok?
You talk about responsibility to make things better, and I assume you are referring to Giles County. Well, I do my part to be a good citizen and, as I've said before, do not run around with my hair on fire trying to character assassinate and ruin those I did not want in elected office. That's not the democratic way of doing thing. Why do you think people have the right to vote? THINK!
In the future, I would appreciate it if you would refer to me as anonymouslikebart, because that's who I am.
Ok anonymouslikebart who acts like a-nag-u-must let me help you understand. I did not say you were uneducated only that you refused to educate yourself on certain matters. As far as I know you may have ten degrees, but you don’t post like it. I did not call you an idiot, I referred to you as a parasite living off the work of others.
Now should you give some or even one example of what you have personally and specifically done to make Giles County better I would have to re-evaluate the reference?
As for your method of not saying anything negative about elected officials just wait and vote them out next time is more naive than stupid, though it’s mighty close. How can you vote against someone who has had the truth hidden and nothing but good said about them for four years? If there had been no one speaking out about King George we’d still be speaking English now instead of Spanish.
unsmart...
Oh, I get it; you were merely describing my behavior. No, you have specifically called me an idiot in the past. But I will not resort to calling you a liar for denying it. I'm sure you are just confused and forgot about that.
Then you ignorantly call me a parasite when I have clearly explained to you that I work for a living. I don't ask anybody for a thing. And I do not hate the "rich" man who pays my salary. Where would I be without it? But people like you would say that I'm a fool for being in a situation wherein I must worship that man. How utterly absurd!
As for my listing things I have done to make Giles County a better place to live, I will not even go there with you. I am a law-abiding and taxpaying citizen who plays by the rules. Would you suggest that I go pick up trash along the highways on weekends? Laughable.
I don't need your help in "understanding" things, and I could care less how you evaluate or re-evaluate me.
Are you always so foolish? Perhaps this is symptomatic of more deep-seated mental disorders that have yet to be diagnosed? I wonder.
Come on a-nag-u-must I didn't say I never called you an idiot only in the situation you described. I have called you an idiot many times but only when you have proven it, and boy do you prove it. I never really thought you would list your efforts to make Giles County better that would be like listing all the great things Bill Clinton did as president.
As for picking up trash on the week-ends I don't understand what that has to do with anything but would suggest you not attempt it without adult supervision. Maybe when you get smarter than the plastic bag you can undertake such a mission alone.
unsmart...
I thought you were going to address me by my proper name (anonymouslikebart)? Aren't you among those who call it cowardly to post as anonymous?
Oh, and I know you would say you were merely trying to describe my behavior (seems your hero coined that phrase)by calling me an idiot. Hilarious.
I asked you about picking up trash on weekends, because I was trying to give you a simple example. I thought you would understand that. Why should I have to tell you what I do to be a good citizen? It's none of your business anyhow. Just take my word for it that I am, ok? But, while we are on the subject, I'd really like to know what you are doing to better the quality of life in Giles County. I realize you are given to fits of braggadocio, so this is your chance to shine!
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