Letter To The Editor: Richard Smoker says ... "Observing Proper Protocol Requires Common Sense, Common Courtesy, Good Judgement And Professionalism"

Published by Jimmy Olsun, NDRIRSRWRAFTC & Editor

Date:  10/6/2010
Post:  853

"Letters to the Editor" addressing the lapse in communications and protocol associated with the recent visit to Hermann by Governor Jay Nixon have been appearing in other local news publications.  This morning I opened my home-delivered October 6th edition of 'The Hermann Advertiser-Courier' and found Mayor Larry Miskel's response to the letter which Gasconade County Sheriff Randy Esphorst had submitted for wide publication the previous week.  By 2 p.m. this afternoon my inbox was flooded with emails from our readers wanting to comment on this situation.  I have chosen to publish just one of the emails I received.  I picked Richard Smoker's email.  Richard is one of our FREE subscribers and has frequently commented on this site.

Richard had this to say .....

Dear Mr. Oldsun;

I want to comment on the highly controversial situation involving Governor Jay Nixon's recent visit to Hermann.  This impromptu visit which involved poor communications and lapse of protocol has received more attention (and ink) than the actual purpose for the Governor's visit itself!

I believe that Mayor Larry Miskel was entirely justified in making his strongly-held opinion known to Presiding Commissioner Ron Jost during the commission meeting which immediately followed the Governor's visit to Hermann one day in September.  Mayor Miskel expressed his concerns openly, honestly, directly, professionally and face-to-face with the County Commission.

Why Sheriff Randy Esphorst felt a need to grandstand with "Letters to the Editor" published by both CNL and The Hermann Advertiser-Courier is still a great puzzlement to me!  But he did!  I wonder if Sheriff Esphorst approached Mayor Miskel openly, honestly, directly, professionally and face-to-face?  If anyone knows the answer to my question, I would certainly like to know.  I think the Sheriff should have handled any concerns he may have had with Mayor Miskel (or anyone else) in just that direct, professional and man-to-man way ..... but he apparently and presumably didn't.  I think he chose to use the press to get his message out more broadly than it really needed to be disseminated.  If I am wrong on this and have misread the situation, I hope someone will correct me.  I really would like to learn that I am wrong and that our County Sheriff is, in fact, a professional and not a grandstanding politician!

Mayor Miskel, whether he wanted to or not, was almost forced to respond to some of the statements in the Sheriff's "Letter to the Editor".  I'm glad that he did!  I'm glad that he wasn't cowered by an elected public official of the county just because that elected county official happens to wear a badge!  I must say that I wholeheartedly agree with everything Mayor Miskel said in his letter published today, and I am now wondering if our current County Sheriff has the requisite wisdom and good judgement to occupy the office he currently occupies.

Sincerely,

Richard Smoker

A. E. Newman Delivers Another Fiery Stump Speech On County Courthouse Steps

Published by Dick Schaefer, Award-winning, Unpaid, Part-time Contributing Writer; Amateur Investigative Reporter; and Aspiring Photo-Journalist


Gasconade County Courthouse Steps
Hermann, MO

Photo by Dick Schaefer (Hermann Hearsay)
Copyright protected.  All rights reserved.

Date:  10/6/2010
Post:  852

In his second stump speech on the courthouse steps in as many weeks, A. E. Newman, Independent candidate for Southern District Associate Commissioner of Gasconade County, yesterday excoriated incumbent Jerry Lairmore for statements he made during last Thursday's County Commission Meeting.  Here is the complete text of Newman's stump speech on Tuesday, 10/5 at the courthouse steps:

"My fellow citizens of Gasconade County, lend me your ears!  I come today, not to praise Southern District Associate Commissioner Jerry Lairmore, but rather to criticize the hell out of him!

During last week's County Commission Meeting, Southern District Associate Commissioner Jerry Lairmore stated that he did not know Northern District Associate Commissioner Matt Penning's telephone number and as a consequence, he had "no way to contact" Commissioner Penning, so he could NOT confer with him regarding the MoDNR's application for a "no interest" loan to complete energy savings projects .  The application is due October 15, so time is of the essence!

Now folks, I've check on Matt Penning's telephone number.  It can be accessed in the following ways:

• Penning's home number is listed in the telephone directory.
• Penning's home number is available by calling "1411" directory assistance.
• Penning's home number is available on the Gasconade County website at http://www.gscnd.com/government.html
• Penning's home number is available by contacting County Clerk Lesa Lietzow.
• Penning's home and cell numbers are available at the county's road department office and from any number of the county employees.

Southern District Associate Commissioner Lairmore is either NOT very resourceful OR he was just lieing.  Northern District District Associate Commissioner Penning has tried to help Lairmore out by handing him his business card right there in last week's meeting.  Lairmore looked very pathetic to all who witnessed his little act of dissemblance during the Commission Meeting.

The subject of the Horace Brown engineering study arose when Dale Ridder, President of the Gasconade County Courthouse Society (GCCS) and appearing before the Commission on behalf of the GCCS, offered the assistance of his group in terms of moving ahead on the preservation and renovation of the county courthouse as well as other associated improvement projects.

You may recall that Commissioner Lairmore took it upon himself over a year ago to commission Horace Brown, an engineering student at UMR, to prepare an engineering project estimate for the proposed new emergency access road to the county courthouse. During the course of this study, there was no coordination or consultation whatsoever with Commissioner Penning.  So imagine Commissioner Penning's surprise when he saw for the first time a copy of Horace Brown's formal report, a report which was originally delivered to Commissioner Lairmore back in 2009.

I couldn't believe what I was told by an attendee of last Thursday's meeting, so I obtained a copy of the meeting video tape.  I viewed the tape recording several times.  I confirmed that what I had been told was indeed true!

Folks, these are just a few recent examples which illustrate why Jerry Lairmore needs to be defeated in November of 2012.  I hope I can depend on each of you for your support.  I promise you that I will NEVER lie to you or to any of my colleagues on the County Commission, nor will I withhold important information pertaining to county business from you or any of my colleagues!  THIS IS A SOLEMN CAMPAIGN PLEDGE I MAKE TO YOU RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW!

And one more thing .... I can absolutely assure you that I am RESOURCEFUL enough to find the telephone number for anyone in Gasconade County with whom I may need to speak!  Afterall, I AM AN OWENSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE!"

Ray Charles - "My Bonnie" ♫ ♫♫ ♫ ♫♫ ♫ ♫♫

Published by Lois Lame, SSALRCYTMVDQJCP & Assistant Editor

Date:  10/6/2010
Post:  851

Once again, friends, it's "Ray Charles Wednesday".  Here's the incomparable Ray Charles performing "My Bonnie"in a 1963 Brazilian Concert along with the original Raelettes and David 'Fathead' Newman on lead saxophone.  An interesting factoid:  This is the very first song Ray Charles learned on the piano. He learned it from on an old man in his hometown of Albany, GA when he was about 5 years old.

Photo Of The Day - Wednesday, 10/6/2010

Published by Lois Lame, SSALRCYTMVDQJCP & Assistant Editor

Date:  10/6/2010
Post:  850



'Scout'
Shown here with her first "big girl, fu fu" haircut.
'Scout' lives in Tampa and is Dick Schaefer's grandpuppy.
10/5/2010



Laugh Of The Day - Wednesday, 10/6/2010

Published by Lois Lame, SSALRCYTMVDQJCP & Assistant Editor

Date:  10/6/2010
Post:  849

"A Senate has passed a new bill that requires TV stations to lower the volume level on commercials. This is great, a hundred of the most powerful people in the nation have managed to do the same thing my remote does."  ~ Jimmy Fallon, 10/4/2010

Quote Of The Day - Wednesday, 10/6/2010

Published by Lois Lame, SSALRCYTMVDQJCP & Assistant Editor

A. E. Newman
Bland, MO

Date:  10/6/2010
Post:  848

"How come we choose from just two people for President, and fifty for Miss America?"  ~ Alfred E. Newman, Candidate for Southern District Associate Commissioner of Gasconade County

Bible Verse Of The Day - Wednesday, 10/6/2010

Published by Lois Lame, SSALRCYTMVDQJCP & Assistant Editor

Date:  10/6/2010
Post:  847

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  ~ Matthew 6:34

Earlier in this passage Jesus assures his disciples that God knows their every need. If He feeds the birds of the air, will he not feed us?

Then Jesus brings us the shocking truth: our anxiety is connected to doubt and unbelief! To worry about tomorrow is a sign that we don’t trust our heavenly Father to take care of us. We are called to deal with the things of today and trust that the God who knows our name has our tomorrows in His hands. So anxiety or worry is a symptom of an unbelieving heart.

How do we get rid of worry? Our answer comes with repentance, then realigning our heart with God’s promise to meet our needs. The promises in Matthew 6 alone have enough bread from heaven to sustain us in the midst of this troubled time.

Today’s commentary by Dave Whitehead, Senior Pastor, GraceNYC.org