Opinion by Linda Dean Cooper

You be the judge.  In my opinion, there is a corrupt ring of power in the BoCC.  I will call it the Gang of Five. Taxpayers pay the price for Commissioner John Meeks’ tax and spend policies with the help of his cousin Commissioner Rock Meeks. It takes three votes to pass whatever is an agenda item, so the Meeks cousins need only one more vote to vote through whatever they want.

Gang of Five

Players in this gang of five are Commissioner cousins John and Rock Meeks, County Coordinator Wilbur Dean, Procurement Coordinator Ali Tretheway, and Human Resources Director Jacqueline Martin

At Tuesday’s regular BoCC meeting, Chair Desiree Mills requested to add an agenda item to review the county coordinator and county assistant coordinator job descriptions, discuss changes, and begin advertising for the County Coordinator or Manager position.  That originally was to be item 12 but somehow landed in Commissioner Reports.

Only items placed under the business items are actionable.  The addition was approved, Rock Meeks was absent, and Chair Mills said he was out sick according to the roll call.

Levy & Hamilton Counties Last Two of 67 Counties to Have Coordinator Positions

The BoCC discussed and agreed to replace the coordinator position with a manager. After some discussion, the four commissioners agreed to advertise the county manager position on Friday. When this change becomes official through an ordinance process it means that the commissioners will not be running the day-to-day operations of county government, that will be left to the new county manager.  Levy and Hamilton County were the last two counties out of 67 to have a coordinator instead of a manager position. 

Dean interrupts Commissioner Brooks In Mid-Sentence

The gang of five tactics came into play when Commissioner Matt Brooks began to ask Public Information Officer, Mary Ellen Harper questions about how she felt about becoming a temporary/interim assistant coordinator.  Brooks asked, “ Would it interfere with her current job…..”. But Coordinator Dean much like in the previous budget meeting jumped up from his chair in his usual disruptive manner and said, “Rock’s input is that he doesn’t agree with that.” Brooks reminded Dean that Rock was not present, and he had questions for Ms. Harper

How does the public know what or if Rock was texting?  He missed roll call and was out sick per Chair Mills. Why did Dean feel the need to cut off Commissioner Brooks in mid-sentence? Why was Chair Mills not informed of the “texting”? If Rock wanted to be part of the meeting, he could have conferenced his phone call in so all in the auditorium could hear his comments.

Empty Words by John Meeks

There were a lot back and forth comments by John Meeks. He went on and on about how we want to be fair to all the employees who may want to apply for the manager position, blah, blah.  The discussion went on to imply that if PIO Harper was placed in the interim position, it would give her a leg up if she decided to apply for the manager position. 

So how is Harper any different from Procurement Director Ali Tretheway sitting to the right of Coordinator Dean at every meeting as if she was already the assistant coordinator?  John Meeks wants to cry foul and say he wants to be fair but that is not what is going on here.

Who Is In Charge When Dean is Out of the Office & Signing Authority

The question was raised if something happens to Dean who is in charge or has signing authority? John Meeks said Ali has signing authority.  Brooks and Mills appeared stunned that Procurement had signing authority.  Turns out her signing authority is for budget items only when the coordinator is not available. That’s all.

Resolution 2017-015 gives the budget officer signing authority for budget purposes only in the absence of the county coordinator but no signing authority as an assistant coordinator.  As someone who has watched John Meeks over his almost twelve years as a commissioner, this is a typically misleading statement by Meeks to give the appearance of something that is true but is not

As far as Human Resources Jacquline Martin’s participation in the Gang of Five she has signed off as Dean’s Department Head for pay raises for him and allowed Dean to sign pay raise paperwork for himself. I would think the Chair of the BoCC would sign any of Dean’s PAF paperwork.  Martin has allowed other privileged employees pay raises with no justification in the explanation section of the Personnel Action Form and sent paperwork to payroll for said pay raises.  

New Orleans Hurricane Conference Reward

And don’t forget the Hurricane Conference in New Orleans a few years ago when four county employees and Commissioner John Meeks attended on the taxpayer dime. Two from emergency management, understandable, but Ali Tretheway, Procurement Coordinator, and Jacqueline Martin from HR.  Why was there no one from the road department, or animal control for sheltering animals during a hurricane or the Maintenance and Construction department?

Assign PIO Mary Ellen Harper as temporary assistant coordinator along with her current PIO duties to start cleaning up the cronyism that has taken over Levy County!  She’s fully qualified for the assistant position and as PIO has been working with different departments. She has assisted the Affordable Housing Committee in creating a Strategic Plan and is working with Animal Control, along with several other departments. Break up the Gang of Five’s power, and place PIO Harper as Assistant Coordinator along with her PIO duties.  

Don’t Forget to Vote on August 20

Remember John Meeks was instrumental in implementing the $116 landfill assessment that is still in place because the landfill was and still is hemorrhaging money.  People outside the county dump for free because no policy is in place to check for something as simple as a driver’s license to prove you are a Levy County resident.

If you are tired of John Meeks’ Tax and Spend policies, vote him out on August 20.  Early voting starts August 5.

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Posted July 4, 2024