Good Old Boys Win Again in Bristol, Virginia

Jim Heaney and Guy Odum are the two new members of the Bristol, VA City council. Elected over public concern about massive City debt and the cost of BVU's Optinet, they were elected to reform the system. Instead they ran into how the system really works in Bristol. An open seat at the BVU board had the "good old boys" winning again.

Getting on various boards in our area means the steering of millions of tax dollars and grants to their ultimate destination. In the case of Bristol Virginia Utilities, their board consists of two appointees from Bristol, Virginia, two from Washington County, plus several others from economic development, etc. In several cases BVU has been used as a cash cow and corporate welfare source for the city economic development office housed in the $10 million "palace" that BVU calls its offices. In most cases appointees sit on multiple boards and local government positions as well. Prized positions they are, they're often the source of political corruption.

Of the appointments to 30 boards, only one drew conflict. In a 3-2 split, the council approved Vice Mayor Fred Bowman for the BVU seat over the objections of Heaney and Guy Odum, claiming Heaney should be placed on the utility board instead.

To quote Odum, "I didn't think that was the best thing for the city to do. I think there will be some controversy over that, and it would be have been better to put Mr. Heaney on there. He has some fresh ideas. It would give the city the opportunity to have said we're making changes." To quote Heaney, "I felt the city people made it clear they didn't feel some things were going in the right direction. I felt the BVU board was one that possibly could use a fresh opinion and felt either Guy or myself should be on the board. Fred is a very intelligent person, and I have nothing against Fred, but I felt the people were looking for new opinions and Fred represented part of the old establishment, if you want to use a cliché."

Bowman said he "didn't care" what board he served on and that people "trust" him. He claimed he was asked to serve on the board, but didn't say by who. The press brought up that his son works at BVU as a tree trimmer, which he responded, "Just because my son works there, he's got just as much right as anybody in this city to work there. Jim's (Jim Rector the mayor) boy works up there." The Herald Courier has hinted in the past nepotism got their sons jobs, which both BVU and the they deny. Mayor Rector also gets to stay another year on the BVU board.

Odum wasn't finished either on this. He was the lone dissenting vote on retaining Bill Dennison as city manager. To quote, "I just feel like it's time for a change - a new direction. I think the voters of this city that elected me, that's their feeling." Bristol Virginia is about $110 million in debt. Ref BHC July 2, 2008

And one for the ladies

Former Virginia High principal Ina Danko's retirement lasted less than a day as the Bristol VA School Board selected her to temporarily replace Doug Arnold, who has held the superintendent job for two years. He left in May. To quote Mrs. Danko, "I do appreciate the confidence the board of education has placed in me, in offering me this opportunity...I feel like a torch-bearer today. This is just overwhelming. I'm so excited." She should be "so exited," she will be paid $95,000, five times the per capita income in Bristol, Virginia.

Mr. Cameron of the school board said, "She's done everything in education but be a superintendent, and she did a tremendous job at the high school. This is a great way for her to finish her career." And to further quote Mrs Danko, "Bristol Virginia public schools has a history of excellence, and we want to continue on that path to excellence." Excellence indeed. According to Washington County, Virginia, the Bristol Virginia graduation rate is 52%. This is a temp job, they will still be looking for a permanent replacement for Arnold. Odds are she will get that job too. Ref. BHC July 2, 2008

August 2008
• Tennessee Deputy threatened to arrest 12-year-old girl for "unlawful photography"
• Economic Crisis in East Tennessee
• Controversy at the City owned utility: citizens will "starve to death"
• Pork-barrel Library in Damascus, Virginia

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