Letter From Commissioner James Harwell

This is a letter that appeared in the Pulaski Citizen and was requested to be made a topic for this Blog.

Commissioner Wilburn Went to Bat

To the Editor:

Thanks, Wendell Wilburn. It isn’t a good thing to tell the county “No” when asking for an invoice for goods or services rendered. It sends up red flags, causes questions to be asked, creates suspicion, and it is a violations of the Freedom of Information Act. This is what happened when Mr. Wendell Wilburn asked for an invoice for insurance premiums paid by the county. Mr. Wilburn is a 1st District County Commissioner and chairman of the Insurance Committee. This committee was formed at the beginning of the 2009-10 session of the County Commission. The hope was to help in reducing expenses, since insurance has its impact on the county’s budget.

Mr. Wilburn contacted surrounding counties and asked for invoices on their insurance, which were readily given to him, but Giles County didn’t. It seems as though the way the insurance is being paid (is) the carrier bills the agent and the agent bills the county. This makes the agent not accountable to the Freedom of the Information Act.

During the Insurance Committee meeting, Mrs. Vanzant entered the conference room with a tape recorder in hand, her game face on and her game attitude in place. This, I suspect, was her feeble attempt to intimidate Mr. Wilburn. She made a few remarks about, “being tired of hearing this,” and “no, I don’t need a sermon,” knowing that Mr. Wilburn is pastor of Grace Baptist Church. I think she did, but I doubt it would do any good.

Mr. Wilburn presented the information, made comparisons and asked questions — questions every commissioner and person in attendance should have asked but didn’t. Instead, Mr. Campbell began to accuse Mr. Wilburn of accusations he didn’t make. Mr. Campbell blind-sided Mr. Wilburn by railing against him. Why? I think Mr. Campbell was more interested in taking the “ostrich” approach (sticking his head in the sand), refusing to cooperate with anyone except Mrs. Vanzant.

Mr. Wilburn has chosen not to run for office again, and this is sad. I guess it’s true what the old adage says: “You can’t fight City Hall,” or in this case, the county, even when you have the right. It seems the Good Ole Boy System is alive and well in Giles County.

Mr. Wilburn is a good commissioner, a good man, and Giles County doesn’t need to loose his leadership, For those of you in the 1st District, you need to know he went to bat for you. He did what he said he would do and more.

Thanks, Wendell Wilburn, I count it a privilege to have been able to serve these past four years with you.

In closing, I want to leave you with this thought: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked; whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7. To put it in layman’s terms, what goes around comes around, from captains to commoners, from princes to paupers.

James W. Harwell, 6th District County Commissioner