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When we elect public officials, we expect them, of course, to be good stewards of the public's money, to uphold the public's trust and to help lead our communities to a brighter future. We also expect them to be professional and respectful of those who work for them -- either directly, or indirectly -- and to be ambassadors for our communities.
A good example of what the public should not expect them to do -- and what should not become accepted practice moving forward -- is what took place Tuesday at the Ohio County Commission meeting. During that meeting, commissioners voted unanimously to dismiss Nancy Weeks as a member of the Ohio County Development Authority's board. Weeks said she learned of the action when contacted after the meeting by our reporter.
Weeks has been a member of the Ohio County Development Authority since its founding in the early 2000s. It is an unpaid position that members agree to serve on in an advisory capacity. Weeks in January of this year was appointed as the authority's vice president.
So why was she removed from the authority's board? We don't know, and commissioners aren't saying. The only official comment on her removal came from Commissioner Don Nickerson who also addressed why Weeks hadn't been contacted in advance:
"Anyone removed (from the board) will receive a follow-up letter," Nickerson said. "As I mentioned at the meeting, the removals and appointments are part of a restructuring of the OCDA board to include a fair cross-section of the county and various levels of expertise."
Nickerson's assessment is right -- commissioners always should be working to ensure the development authority board has the right mix to best serve the county. That's not in question. What is in question is the process by which Weeks' removal was handled -- particularly given some of the backstory.
It was only last month that Weeks, during a development authority meeting, publicly questioned why commissioners were recommending against hiring Greg Stewart to oversee The Highlands. She requested a deeper public explanation on the decision, and asked why Stewart wasn't afforded the opportunity to address any questions.
Her removal shortly after that meeting -- and how that removal was handled -- raises questions, as well.
After nearly two decades of service on the development authority board, Weeks deserved better than to find out after the fact that she had been removed.
At a minimum, she deserved a call prior to the meeting to let her know the issue would be on the agenda for a vote.
There was a better way to handle this. We would hope, moving forward, that commissioners would devise a better process to deal with those residents who have dedicated their time and efforts to making the county a better place. It's the right thing to do.