Letters to the Editor 2-29-12

Jailer says criticism of camera system purchase was unfair

To the Editor:

This letter is in response to the article titled “Fiscal Court members upset over the lack of bids for new camera system,” printed in the Feb. 22 edition of the News Journal.

First of all, let me say the jail published the specifications and requirements as “required by state law.” The bids were accepted according to “state law.” I did nothing wrong in putting these specs in the paper.

Everyone was given the amount of time required by the “law” to bid on this camera system. The Whitley County magistrates implied in this article that the jail did not advertise enough for this new camera system. I think this criticism is unfair. We advertised as the “law” requires. I feel like I handled this in the correct manner.

My staff and I work very hard every day to improve the jail and all the magistrates know this. In 2005 and again in 2011, proper and efficient management of the jail helped pull the county out of debt. Both I and my staff are very proud of this fact.

The camera system at issue was PAID IN FULL by the jail with absolutely NO cost to the county or the taxpayers.

I am always doing everything I can to ensure that the taxpayers are being provided a clean and safe jail run in the most cost-effective manner possible.

Thank you for your support.

Ken Mobley
Whitley County Jailer
 

Those responsible for ‘Vote Yes’ sign should be commended

To the Editor:

Kudos to the person or persons brave enough to put up a “Vote Yes” sign for restaurants in Williamsburg. A majority “Yes” vote in the March 20 election will allow restaurants that can seat at least 100 persons to serve alcohol. The person who put up the sign must be as weary as I am of letting the “religious right” decide for us. It takes courage to make a public stand against them.

All of the people I know who will vote “Yes” are afraid of being ostracized if they say it out loud.

I wish that the people who go to Knoxville and Lexington to eat in restaurants that serve alcohol could spend their money and contribute the taxes and employment opportunities to our own hometown. Why in the world would Williamsburg residents want us to remain a backwater town with empty storefronts, only one general store and no entertainment options? I hope there are enough young voters left here to give us a jump start into a better future. Perhaps if we had some of the amenities that other cities have, more of them would stay here.

Selena Bryant
Williamsburg
 

Effort to abolish constables is misguided

To the Editor:

Voters Of Whitley County, I am Ron “Bubba” Bowling, Constable serving Whitley County District 2 in Corbin and I write with great urgency to all citizens of Whitley County. Unbeknownst to us in Whitley County, our General Assembly in Frankfort is working hand-in-hand with outsiders from northern Kentucky to abolish the office of the Kentucky Constable  through the legislative process: HB 240  HB 247 and SB 30.

HB 240 calls for the abolishment of the Constable’s office through a statewide vote. Rural Kentucky cannot afford to entrust our safety and welfare to a group who are in favor of taking over 500 peace officers off of our streets.

Unlike larger cities with huge budgets, our local law enforcement agencies are stretched thin. Our Sheriff’s Office and local city police departments are operating on tight budgets .The Constables office, however, receives ZERO tax dollars to operate, but provides services to our districts from fees generated by providing process service for the court system. In fact, constable services are funded completely from arrest fees, service of legal documents and working details within the county. Does it make any sense to arbitrarily remove these services from our community, which cost the local tax payer nothing, just because some northern Kentuckians are dissatisfied with their particular constables? One must wonder, if they are so unhappy with their constables, shouldn’t they address this come election time when they re-elect their constables instead of interfering with the constables that you yourselves elected locally to serve in Whitley County miles away from the big cities up north? Those big cities up north must not be affected as we are way down here in rural Kentucky by the growing pain pill, methamphetamine, and crime problems that we are experiencing locally. Do you really want to take a chance on losing the constables office in Whitley County which has a proven record of providing services to the citizens within their districts?

The other proposed bill, SB30 leaves the decision to abolish the Constables Office  with the fiscal court. While I have the utmost confidence in our current fiscal court to do the right thing by supporting the Constables office and keeping the Constables Office in operation, why is this even an issue that our county officials should be bothered with? More importantly, this type of legislation is not even legal and tramples all over the constitution of our state. The Constables office is created and guaranteed to exist by our Kentucky constitution. Simply put, when our constitution is to be changed, it’s up to you the voters of Kentucky to change it. The law tells us that entrusting the decision to anyone other than you, the voters, is unconstitutional.

I urge you to send a message to Frankfort to leave the Kentucky Constables Office alone and more importantly, our constitution alone and get busy working on bills to improve of quality of life, improving services and recruiting much needed jobs to our state.

Absolutely nothing would be accomplished by abolishing the Constables Office office except taking over 500 peace officers off our streets and out of our communities. Your Whitley County Constables require ZERO tax dollars to operate, yet your Constables have worked hard patrolling our churches, making arrests, and serving legal paperwork for the betterment of Whitley County. If these services your Constable provides are removed by Frankfort, I can guarantee one inevitable result — higher taxes. The Kentucky Constable services are absolutely necessary in our Commonwealth and will have to be filled by tax funded offices if abolished. This money will not simply magically appear; it will come directly from your pockets.

Send Frankfort a message from Whitley County: Call the Legislative Message TOLL FREE Hotline at 1-800-372-7181 and tell YOUR State representative and Senator you support your Whitley County Constables and to  vote NO on HB240, HB 247 and SB30

Ron Bowling
Whitley Co. Constable, District 2