Let's set the record straight

By Rory Ryan
The Highland County Press

Some inaccuracies ought not go unaddressed. Especially when stated as fact – in writing – by an elected public official.

Sometimes, a little lesson in history and government is necessary. This is one such occasion of necessity.

On March 24 of this year, former Hillsboro Mayor Betty Bishop submitted a letter of endorsement for Hillsboro resident Pam Limes, who is a 2015 candidate for mayor.

In her letter – submitted simultaneously to Highland County’s only locally owned newspaper and to other out-of-state corporate media, Mrs. Bishop wrote: “Since the election of our present mayor, I have tried to find ways to support the man. To this date, I have found none!

“There is, however, a candidate I can support who lives in Hillsboro, loves her community, appreciates every citizen, is smart and energetic, and will work for the betterment of her community. That person is Pam Limes.”

A day later, Hillsboro councilwoman Tracy Aranyos was critical of Mrs. Bishop’s letter. (I will refrain from saying the councilwoman “attacked” the former mayor, as that word is being tossed about all too loosely these days.)

No, the councilwoman criticized; she did not attack.

Criticism, especially constructive criticism, is OK.

But let’s take a look at what’s not OK from the councilwoman’s writing, since she did sign off as a member of Hillsboro City Council.

Ms. Aranyos begins her criticism of former Mayor Bishop with her first inaccuracy: “I am one member of the current administration and would like to comment on Mrs. Bishop's article.”

No, Councilwoman, you are not a member of the current administration. If you believe you are, you are not representing the citizens you supposedly represent. As an elected member of council, it would not be permissible under the Ohio Revised Code for you to be part of the administration.

By Ohio statute, “Each member of the legislative authority (i.e. city council) shall be an elector of the city, shall not hold any other public office, except that of notary public or member of the state militia, and shall not be interested in any contract with the city, and no such member may hold employment with said city.”

Perhaps the councilwoman ought to be more familiar with Ohio Revised Code Chapter 731.

In her next sentence, the councilwoman says: “I find it to be a conflict of interest for Mrs. Bishop to be on all 3 organizations: Chamber of Commerce, Grow Highland Co. (sic) and Visitor's Bureau (sic).”

The councilwoman does not explain how or why that a “conflict of interest” may exist. She just says one does. Really?

Many local residents serve on more than one public – or quasi-public – board. County commissioners, for example, serve or have served on various local boards, including the Highland County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Highland County Community Action Organization, Highland County Senior Citizens Board, Family and Children First Council, etc. The president of Southern State Community College also serves on the Highland County Chamber of Commerce Board. (There are many other examples, but reasonable minds get the point.)

The question to the councilwoman is this: Do all of these people have a similar conflict of interest as you allege against Mrs. Bishop? If so, please explain.

Moreover, let’s remember that many of these board positions are voluntary and uncompensated. And many times there’s a futile search for new members. So much for your “conflict of interest” charge.

The councilwoman later states that the current mayor is “a successful, self-made businessman.”

Boy, Howdy!

If so, please explain the hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars the current mayor has received in the past five years, and then explain your definition of “self-made businessman.”

(Rational thought be damned, in your opinion.)

He certainly is not all that. If he is, indeed, “self-made,” he ought to return, posthaste, all the taxpayer-funded handouts which he has received since his arrival in Highland County.

Hillsboro and Highland County are fortunate to have many self-made business people. The mayor of Hillsboro is not one of them. Period.

The councilwoman also alleges – in her own words – that “We (Current Administration) have inherited many decades of problems and lawsuits that past administrations, AND Mrs. Bishop's have caused & we are working very hard to correct!” (Sic, sic, sic, etc.)

Once again, members of council are not part of the city administration. That’s the mayor’s domain, not yours.

Secondly, the city of Hillsboro has had 20 years’ worth of mayoral administrations since Mayor Betty Bishop left the office in 1995. Until now, not one – in either political party – has publicly stated that it has “inherited many decades of problems and lawsuits that past administrations, AND Mrs. Bishop's have caused.”

Please prove this allegation against Mayor Bishop for all true Hillsboro residents and taxpayers. And then please prove how you happened to come upon this revelation 20 years after the “fact,” when not one other member of council has had such insight over more than two decades.

A few years ago, Hillsboro City Council President and local attorney Lee Koogler wrote for The Highland County Press: “The city administration {is} comprised primarily by the elected mayor and his appointed administrative head, the safety service director.”

One doesn’t find members of city council included as part of the city administration. There’s a good reason, too.

Mr. Koogler explains: “City council appropriates, city administration chooses how and when to spend the money. Council is the legislative branch of our local government, just as Congress is the legislative branch of our federal government, with the difference being council is a unicameral body (one chamber) and Congress is a bicameral body (two chambers being the House of Representatives and the Senate). The job of city council is to pass laws to protect the public interest and to appropriate the funds that the City of Hillsboro is entrusted with by the taxpayers.”

Granted, Mr. Koogler wrote this prior to Councilwoman Aranyos’ arrival on council. But again, she ought to familiarize herself with his words of wisdom from years of experience.

Another troubling thing about the councilwoman’s belief that she is a part of the administration is that it clouds the necessary checks-and-balances – as well as the advise-and-consent – intentions of good government. (Just as having a sitting council member carry re-election petitions for the sitting mayor, as happened this year.)

Council members are not part of the mayor’s administration. For those who believe themselves to be, you do a tremendous disservice to the residents and taxpayers of Hillsboro.

And to criticize former Mayor Bishop, you show your lack of knowledge of her many contributions to the city over the past 30 or more years. (Stop by Weastec and ask who brought them to Hillsboro.)

Lastly, I do agree with Councilwoman Aranyos on her only salient point when she states: “I am GLAD Mrs. Bishop does NOT support Mayor Hastings.”

So am I.

Thanks, Betty, for all you do for this community. Someone owes you an apology.

Rory Ryan is publisher and owner of The Highland County Press.