The Columbia County Commissioners meeting held November 10, 2010 proved to be quite interesting. There was not an empty chair in the meeting room. People from many different political persuasions addressed the commissioners on one single subject ballot measure 5-209, which the voters passed by a compelling amount. Many people spoke but with one voice. They wanted the commissioners to dissolve the hospital district so the 38 cents per thousand would stop being collected by the county tax collector. Commissioner Hyde conducted the meeting and was in agreement with the voters and the people present at the meeting. He ask the people present if they would give the commissioners time to sort things out, that was not accepted by the people very well. Many thought that 6+ years of the hospital wasting taxpayer dollars was quite long enough, Hyde said that he would have an answer by the end of the day and to Hyde's credit he lived up to his word, his answer was we are letting the hospital board handle the problem. In my opinion I would have liked the commissioners to dissolve the hospital district right then and there, but then in a way Hyde might have been correct let the hospital board clean up their own filthy mess.

Commissioner Bernhard set quietly while the testimony was given until she decide to  open her mouth and make a comment that was entirely opposite to the discussion at the meeting. She said that the commissioners needed to figure out what to do about Public Health.

Sorry Commissioner Bernhard after 6+ years you still do not get it. Public health is not involved with the ballot measure of 2004 or 5-209; they should not have been receiving any funds related to the hospital debacle. Although the hospital board illegally has funneled funds into the Public Health dept over the past 6+ years.

Now we need to discuss commissioner Earl Fisher, Earl Fisher was incensed when a person from the public mentioned to Fisher that it was his job to carry out the wishes of the majority of the voters 73% to 26% to put a stop to the hospital project. Fisher showed his true colors by responding venomously, don't come here and demand anything from the commissioners, that he followed the law, which no one even suggested or questioned, Fisher got very nasty and someone suggested that if he could not abide by the wishes of the voters then there was always Re-call. That comment really got Fisher riled up, He yelled don't you threaten me. The response to that was no one is threatening you. Then Fisher went off yelling I know and you know the game that is being played out here coming in here and threatening me with re-call and bringing in a camera and filming this meeting.

Well Commissioner Fisher, it is a public meeting, and the ORS Statutes states anyone can film any public meeting. Besides local radio station KOHI has a live stream right into the meeting room. That was until this meeting, when after about 30 minutes the live stream got stopped on the end of the commissioners meeting I wonder what happened? Sounds Fishy to me. But you can bet that Marty of KOHI will dig and get the truth of what happened and you can bet so will the public that was at that meeting.

Earl Fisher does not like to be questioned by the public, will not give an opinion in public, is nasty to the public and it appears that he does not like transparency in local government. And Fisher claims to be a democrat what a joke that is. King Earl needs to remember this is America and he can easily be replaced sooner than when his term expires.