| Andy Waddell's free-flowing commentary of the life and times of Clay County shifted to the Town of Clendenin this week, where the duck pond is much too small for the political players, and virtually everyone is suing.
CLENDENIN MESS by Andy Waddell
Seems the excitement has floated down stream to our southern border colony of Clendenin. Down there instead of just yelling or slapping one another, they go the costly route with lawsuits.
Between suits over out of control police and judge tactics and warring administration court actions, we count 21 suits before the Circuit Court.
At the center of the most recent suits is none other than Elk River Rat Bob Ore, a one time Clayonian.
By getting elected to the Mayoral post in June 2005, Ore peed off the local blue bloods and the war began.
During recent Clendenin Council meetings, Ore supporters, we named them Oreos, showed up in support of Ore's attempts to clean up the mess.
Monday evening at 7 p.m., Clendenin Town Council gathered in the Community Building next door to Town Hall. The place was packed.
The Oreos came out in force outnumbering ousted Mayor Donna Gillenwater's team of hecklers.
During the meeting, Mayor Ore made public his visit to the State Auditor's office in Charleston.
Oh man!
Gillenwawa team pivot man TJ Edmonds didn't like that one bit. On and on, Edmonds (and others) went on. Something about going behind councils' back.
Did we mention on and on?
After being asked several times and with the gavel pounding, Mayor Ore had patrolman Burkhammer remove TJ Edmonds from the meeting. Tossed his hiney out, yanked from the game in mid stride.
The Oreos went wild with thunderous applause.
Gillenwawa supporters sheepishly retreated from their bad behavior techniques.
So what's going on in Clendenin?
Money problems. Where did the money go? Who did what with the money.
With no recent state approved audit in place, the questions grow.
We understand that the state folks have since sent a letter to the Prosecuting Attorney's office. Does that sound like a good thing?
With the Clendenin council fighting over farming out audit duties, the state Auditor's office just notified the elected folks, instead of allowing Council to handle their own audit duties, the state will come in and take a good look see at the books.
And there's more. Just like all municipalities do, Clendenin tacks on a municipal excess tax to customer utility bills. It came to light Monday evening. The town may have been double dipping that tax to the tune of $13,000.00 on the sewer bills.
POSTSCRIPT:
Much like
parts of Clay, the Clendenin bunch "appreciate" the presence of reporter Waddell. At
a recent council meeting, ousted mayor Donna Gillenwater told Waddell "You have no business here. You're just causing trouble," to which Waddell replied "I was thinking the same thing about you."
Ore's opponents have been posting "No More Ore" signs.
Waddell is threatening to hand out Oreo cookies at the next meeting, which draws a packed house. "Maybe, they'll be nicer to one another," he said.
clayberry.com link
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