Nikki Whitty clearly views former roadmaster and current candidate for her county commission seat, Larry Van Elsberg as a serious threat. In a letter to the editor thinly disguised as an attack on two of her constituents she throws some barbs at her closest opponent.
Regarding the letter from Ronnie Herne, I would like to clarify misstatements and fabrications. I was disappointed in my opponent who approved it in advance….I did support the layoffs in the road department. Our former roadmaster should have made changes but failed to do so.
Really Nikki, if you thought Larry should have made changes during your tenure you ought to have done something about it. If anyone is responsible, assuming changes really should have been made, it is you! You are definitely responsible for the underhanded manner in which the road department layoffs were conducted. Shame on you!
Further, many of us, including me, appreciate Ronnie and Jaye for their tireless efforts to get at the truth despite you and your egg timer. These are public meetings after all, we are supposed to be able to ask questions and demand answers even when you don’t want to give them. If anyone is rude, Nikki, it is you and Kevin for refusing to answer questions regarding public business and consent calendar items.
This letter was dirty in more ways than one and it is going to cost you votes, it isn’t going to gain you any.
Oh, and the bond cost may have only been $27M but the total cost with state funds was $50M so stop splitting hairs
UPDATE In 2002 a new roadmaster Larry Van Elsberg was given a thin budget to work with and was considering laying off six employees in order to afford asphalt. The union lobbied Commissioners Whitty, Griffith, and Ross against the layoffs. The commissioners pulled $110,000 dollars from the general fund to keep the employees. The employees ad probably Larry were much relieved.
To quote my source, Nikki has really ‘fouled her own nest here’, accusing Larry of not making employee cuts when, in fact, she wouldn’t let him.
Up until this letter I took Nikki as an affable, decent person who probably really does care about the county but with minimal skills and competence for running a government. She has revealed a side in this letter that is probably typical of 99% of all politicians.
They both need to go. My guess is a runoff in November for both positions unless Jackson squeaks out 51% with so many candidates. It will be a tough battle with Larry and Nikki but in the end I think he will do it, heck he might do it Tuesday but probably November.
Your right. I think her and Stufflebean are both running scared. I worked with Larry for years, and we never had a problem with his decisions.Like you said, if Whitty had a problem with Larry she should have addressed that a few years back.I read her letter to the editor and she really made a fool of herself. I hope public can see that.She needs to go.Maybe we will luck out and oust them out of office and take back our rights, as they seem to tell us what is best for the Citizens of our County.