Hello, everyone,
Language is a powerful thing. The words "accused," "accusations," or "allegations" were used no less than seven times in a recent Daily Times’ front page article to describe three or four questions I asked of a sheriff's representative during a work session last week. It's not my job, or my nature to make accusations. It IS my job to follow-up on questions or complaints from residents in our community.
Two Blount County residents had asked for information about specific complaints they had concerning incidents in which their vehicles were towed. Though these were two different situations with two different companies, both included some assistance from the sheriff's office, and both appeared to result in what Commissioner French described at that same discussion as “exorbitant prices”.
Rather than “accusing [Mr. Berrong] and the sheriff’s office of ‘illegal and unethical conduct” I simply asked if there was a towing fee involved, thinking one may have been assessed to cover the cost of working an accident or maintaining a county impound lot. I used the word "commission", because that's the word that had been used in explaining one of these situations to me.
Had I ever suspected such fees might be illegal, I would have turned over the complaints to state and/or federal authorities. In a press release, the sheriff announced he was asking the TBI to launch an investigation into questionable towing expenses. I look forward to hearing from investigators and sharing the information that was given to me.
When a citizen asks for help, I will always do my best to respond as a commissioner should. I am not going to be deterred by name-calling or veiled threats by the sheriff, or anyone else. I don't make "false and slanderous" remarks as the sheriff tried to accuse me of in his press release. I do ask questions, as do my colleagues. It goes with the territory of being a commissioner and serving the community.
Until next time,
~Wendy
think about it...
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
5 comments:
I saw that article that seemed to be from a press release. I read it really quickly, so maybe I should try to find that and read it again, but it looked to me like they were asking the TBI to investigate you for asking "slanderous" questions! I didn't take away from it that they were investigating the tow billings themselves.
Either way, I applaud your persistence in the face of threats. Your constituents, me included, are so grateful for your commitment to the job as our representative to the commission. I would like to see the others behave in such an open and aboveboard manner.
Good bless you, Mrs. Reeves! Blount County needs a hundred more like you.
Ms.Pitts-Reaves:
Thank you for taking you time to blog about the upcoming activities of the commission.
I am also very grateful that you take us (your constituents) seriously enough to ask the questions that we have posed. Thank you.
S. Kerr
Fight for whats right!
God grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
I wish every member on the Commission tried as hard as you do to do whats right. Blount County would be a better place to live.
Dear Commissioner Reeves,
Regarding the paranoid reaction of the sherrif's office and the county mayor in the reported "towgate" investigation, it seems to me to be a typical response of those who listen to Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and their ilk too much.
They inevitably see themselves as victims of the vast Liberal conspiricy, be it the media or democratically elected officials whose job it is to represent the people.
It amazes me that the richest, most connected, most powerful and often most conservative people in our community rail against the Daily Times on the one hand for reporting the truth, and then, with great wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth, use that same publication to bombastically accuse anyone who criticises them or disagrees as being un-American or un-Patriotic or otherwise trying to dismantle our way of life.
They whine about being ganged up on by the treacherous and evil Wendy Pitts-Reeves, when in fact, THEY ARE THE GANG!
You keep up the good work Commissioner. Don't let these good ol' boys threaten you or intimidate you or muzzel you. We the People of Blount County are behind you.
Keep the Faith!
Broadfoot
I know how those guys take and twist what you say and make something entirely different out of it. They are experts at that. I pray that you will continue to stand tall and straight for what is right. You are an encouragement to me. I know God will richly bless you.
Post a Comment