[Major]

I realize the press and public opinion has been vilifying the county Delegation and in particular Reps Sylvia and Silber. I do not know Michael Sylvia but I know Norm Silber. Firstly, he is a GREAT attorney. Very sharp and effective. Secondly, he is a man of integrity. Yes, he is conservative and not shy about it. People have a hard time separating the person from his political positions. Bottom line is that he is a good man who wants what is best for his constituents. (BTW, he does NOT want to privatize Gunstock. My suspicion is that he didn't sign the pledge because he won't be bullied into it.)

Anyway, all of this could have been avoided if the Commissioners and the full time staff were more cooperative and transparent when the new Delegation took over. At that time, the Delegation's request for a comprehensive audit was met with resistance. This was quickly followed by the expansion plans and the outrageous bonuses the full time staff awarded themselves. Like it or not, when it comes to Gunstock, the Commissioners and the full time staff are public servants and answer to the county Delegation. It is the Delegation's right to audit the Gunstock operation and the Commissioners and full time staff did not help themselves by their resistance. They should have realized they are public servants and the key to any successful government endeavor is openness and transparency. By refusing to cooperate they projected the appearance that they had something to hide.

Like I said, had the Commissioners and the full time staff fully cooperated at the beginning, most of this could have been avoided. However, the way it stands now, it appears their lack of cooperation may have been necessary. We will see when the audit results are made public. In the meantime, I caution against making any judgments until all the facts are publicly revealed.