There's been discussion of this for a few days, but I wanted to post the full email before posting, and I didn't get it until this morning.
In the wake of the firing/resignation/payoff of Champaign County Supervisor of Assessments Curt Deedrich, Champaign County Democratic Party Chair (and County Auditor) Tony Fabri is looking for a permanent replacement, and he is looking for options from outside of Champaign County:
I'm writing trusted friends to ask your help in finding a candidate to fill an important position here in Champaign County. Recently, our County Board terminated our County Supervisor of Assessments. The position will be filled by our County Board, which has a Democratic majority (in theory, at least). Our County Board Chairman has asked me to send this email.
The previous SoA was the first Democrat ever to hold the position here in Champaign County. The opposition he faced was largely partisan, although a small number of Dems joined the GOP mob in fighting to have him removed. County Board leadership is hoping to find someone who was not involved in that controversy to fill the vacancy. Unfortunately, all of the local candidates (both D and R) were among the group who fought so hard to see the outgoing SoA fired, which is why we're looking outside Champaign County for a candidate with "clean hands."
You can read the whole email here.
A few points:
- The most qualified candidate for this position remains Paula Bates, whom the County Board Democrats passed over to appoint Deedrich in 2004.
- I wonder if Fabri thinks that Deedrich's behavior had anything to do with his dismissal? If I were the County Board, my first requirement for SoA would be to find someone who can repair the relationships with the other Assessors and taxing districts that Deedrich ruptured so badly, not to blame his removal on a "mob," as if Deedrich bears no responsibility. (Granted, this email is from Party Chair Fabri and not Board Chair Pius Wiebel - see my
thirdfourth point below...) - In the wake of GOP County Board members supporting a Democrat for the GOP seat on the Board of Review, it's a shame that the County Board Democrats won't consider Bates simply because she's a Republican. I appreciate the importance of Party loyalty as much as anyone, but if the local Democrats have no qualified candidates, I see no reason to pass over a very respected, professional person like Bates and start soliciting for outside-the-County candidates. I was also hoping that the bi-partisanship on the Board of Review appointment would have been a small step towards curing some of the poisonous atmosphere on the County Board. The SoA appoint could have been another step, but instead will apparently be more political hackery rather than genuine good government.
- This letter is a great example of why it's a terrible idea to have the Chairman of the Democratic Party serve as County Auditor. Even if Fabri, as Auditor, were willing to provide any oversight over how this appointment process has worked, Fabri is now clearly unable to provide it. How would he ever be able to objectively evaluate a process in which he was involved, as a Party Chair, in finding candidates?
That's a tough email to read. The 'mob' Fabri refers to included a majority of County Board Democrats who voted to remove Deedrich---based on Deedrich's problematic behavior. Deedrich has caused a lot of damage to the local Democratic party, and Fabri's email confirms that the damage runs deep. I can't thank those eight Dems enough for voting their conscience in order to halt the damage being done by previous appointment of Deedrich.
As for who is selected next, I hope the Board can appoint a strong and qualified Democratic candidate. But if they can't, then they should appoint regardless of party. If run properly, the SoA office should be about as non-partisan as it gets, so it shouldn't matter much.
"That's a tough email to read. The 'mob' Fabri refers to included a majority of County Board Democrats who voted to remove Deedrich---based on Deedrich's problematic behavior."
That was tough for me, too. If Fabri is trying to find outside candidates by filling people in on the background, he's doing them a disservice by not mentioning how difficult Deedrich made things for himself. Deedrich had an awful lot to do with his own problems, and he was (finally) held accountable for some of them. For Fabri to ignore that is a troubling disdain for accountability from our County Auditor, IMHO.
Either that, or maybe Fabri really does think that Deedrich's behavior had nothing to do with his dismissal, and it really was just a partisan witchhunt (that included, as curious said, a majority of CB Democrats). Which is mind-boggling, if that's the case.
"Deedrich has caused a lot of damage to the local Democratic party, and Fabri's email confirms that the damage runs deep. I can't thank those eight Dems enough for voting their conscience in order to halt the damage being done by previous appointment of Deedrich."
Me too, even if they then agreed, with the CB Republicans, on that senseless payoff.
"As for who is selected next, I hope the Board can appoint a strong and qualified Democratic candidate. But if they can't, then they should appoint regardless of party. If run properly, the SoA office should be about as non-partisan as it gets, so it shouldn't matter much."
I also agree completely. I wonder why Bates is so anathema?
"I wonder why Bates is so anathema?"
While I don't know her or what Dem reaction is to her, I doubt she's really the issue. Dems want to appoint Dems, it's as simple as that. The Republicans had control of the county for forever or so until 2000, and now the Dems want to run the show. That's understandable, and as a Dem I support it. But...if there isn't a qualified Dem (e.g. someone who has the knowledge *and* communication skills to excel in the job) then the Dem-majority board shouldn't settle for a lesser candidate because of party.
You probably guessed that much but I wanted to be clear on where I stood. What bothers me most about all of this is Fabri's inability to recognize reality, not that he's looking for a Dem to appoint as SoA.
Understood, curious.
Thanks for clarifying. I only bring up Bates because the Democrats apparently have no local candidate of their own.
Tony does not have the ability to take off his partisan glasses and see things the way they really are. IP I agree with you that having a county chairman who is also the county auditor is a bad mix for taxpayers. Clearly the last Champaign County Auditor Mike Frerichs (now Senator), was the main instigator that got Deedrich in office (as a political payback) that created these problems to start with. Now the current auditor is seeking to continue the payback trend.
As taxpayers we can only hope that Chair Pius Weibel will conduct an open search process that will yield the most qualified and competent candiadate and not rely on political hacks like Fabri in trying to fill the position.
The County Board continues to reap what they sow - giant messes. They take shortcuts, make excuses, waste time, and then when the manure hits the fan, they look around at each other, shrug their shoulders and point the blame outside the room.
I doubt voters will give a hoot in '08, but seriously, that group needs a serious housecleaning.
I don't buy Fabri's "clean hands" excuse for going outside of the County. County Board members created the problem when they appointed Deedrich and County Board members were responsible for removing Deedrich from office, not "local candidates (both D and R)". Will politicians ever accept blame instead of shifting it to those that don't deserve it?
Those with truly "unclean hands" are the ones that defended Deedrich's three-year tenure of harassment, mismanagement and abuse.
Fabri's phony "clean hands" pretense is nothing more than an example of partisan politics at its worst.
As a Dem I am deeply disturbed by how this is unfolding. Gordy's points make a lot of sense, and I would like to add two more:
Unlike the roles of party chair or county auditor (speaking relatively), the supervisor of assessments is an important official with significant responsibilities in county government. If Fabri puts an under-qualified political appointee in that position, we'll feel it.
The overarching observation, of course, concerns how much damage has been done by runaway partisanship at the county, state, and national level. It works only for the party leaders in power. For the rest of us, we're forced to deal with the consequences of actions and legislation designed to benefit those with the required leverage to make them.
The County Board, not the County Auditor and not the Democratic Party Chairman, will choose the next SoA. There's simply no conflict here, despite Gordy's silly (and inaccurate) suggestion that the County Auditor could ever play an "oversight" role over County Board appointments. Basically, the "controversy" here is that the Democratic Party Chairman sent out an e-mail spreading the word about a vacant position he has no say in filling, instead of just advocating that a previously rejected Republican applicant be hired. Must be a slow news week.
While it's settled fact here in IP Land that Deedrich was awful and his termination was righteous, let's not forget that the man was tried and convicted in a closed-door hearing in which he was never allowed to answer or even see the charges against him. Would those 8 Democratic Board members have voted to terminate him if they'd heard his side of the story? We'll never know, because they never got that chance. This denial of Due Process is exactly why the County had to pay Deedrich so much money after the fact.
What the County really needs to do is move forward. In that spirit, is it really such a bad idea to seek an applicant who was neither a Deedrich supporter or opponent?
"There's simply no conflict here, despite Gordy's silly (and inaccurate) suggestion that the County Auditor could ever play an "oversight" role over County Board appointments."
Sure he could - let's say, in a hypothetical, that the CB Chair formally asked the Auditor's office to evaluate the process used to make an appointment, and to make recommendations on how to improve the pool of candidates.
Now, such a request won't be forthcoming with the current CB climate and the current Auditor, but such requests are certainly legal and appropriate.
"Basically, the "controversy" here is that the Democratic Party Chairman sent out an e-mail spreading the word about a vacant position he has no say in filling, instead of just advocating that a previously rejected Republican applicant be hired. Must be a slow news week. "
If he has no say in filling it, why did the CB Chair ask for help from the Party Chair?
Why did the CB Chair not send out the email himself, rather than allowing the Party Chair to represent the County is seeking such applicants?
And why was the Republican applicant rejected?
"While it's settled fact here in IP Land that Deedrich was awful and his termination was righteous, let's not forget that the man was tried and convicted in a closed-door hearing in which he was never allowed to answer or even see the charges against him. Would those 8 Democratic Board members have voted to terminate him if they'd heard his side of the story? We'll never know, because they never got that chance. This denial of Due Process is exactly why the County had to pay Deedrich so much money after the fact."
Clearly we differ about why the CB members, in a political decision, decided to payoff Deedrich.
"What the County really needs to do is move forward. In that spirit, is it really such a bad idea to seek an applicant who was neither a Deedrich supporter or opponent?"
Like Paula Bates?
In that spirit, is it really such a bad idea to seek an applicant based on qualifications rather than political affiliation?
Sorry. Meant to say that Fabri's position that the S of A appointment should be politicized is a joke,
I would never want to imply that Fabri himself was a joke.
And for the record, the interim S of A is perfectly qualfied to receive the permanent appointment. Except, of course, he isn't affiliated with the correct political party.
That's how we got stuck with Deedrich in the first place!
Let's hope Weibel can do the right and put the interests of the county ahead of those of his party. Obviously Tony Fabri is unable to do that.