Setting aside Sedgwick County Commission Chairman Kelly Parks’ mysterious comment Tuesday about how he had “turned some stuff over to the FBI” — no one at the county seemed to know what he was talking about — Parks’ push for disclosing free meals and gifts received by commissioners has merit. Taxpayers deserve to know who is spending money hoping to influence policymakers. Commissioner Dave Unruh questioned the benefit of reporting every minor gift that commissioners receive, such as a coffee cup. But the commission could set a minimum dollar value of gifts and meals that should be disclosed.
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10 Comments
Sedgwick county commissioner, Kelly Parks is correct. The highly paid commissioners need to report meals and gifts they receive. I guarantee you, many times they wouldn’t receive these gifts and meals if they weren’t in a position to influence spending of taxes for pet projects.
Big spender, county commissioner Dave Unruh was pandering by mentioning gift coffee cups. Obviously, coffee cups could be opted out … unless they have coffee in them.
Whatever the outcome of this ‘FBI-thing’ it could be interesting and add a little interest and attention on who we have running this place and how they are doing so.
But don’t hold your breath. The FBI is superbly patient, not in a hurry, and they feel no need to engage the public’s opinion or permission.
Kelly Parks lets fly weird comments, the sort that result in “no one at the county” knowing what he is talking about, all the time.
I’d hate to think there are elected officials who’d change their vote for a cup of coffee.
But greed has no limits; at the high or low end.
One of the reasons we pay public “servants” substantial salaries is so they have enough walking around money to buy their own lunch.
In 50 years as a political boss here in southeast Kansas the legendary Joe Saia never took a cent except from his piddly salary as a Crawford County commissioner. But his power seemed to attract “gifts.” My favorite story is how, when they were paving the road by his house, the asphalt machine took off for lunch and pulled into Saia’s driveway. Since the machine didn’t have a reverse gear, the afternoon shift resulted in a paved driveway around Saia’s house. “Just a consequence of “operator error.”
There are some — many? most? all? — politicians who are in it for the power, not the cash. If you have enough power, the cash will take care of itself.
In all the ethics and conduct training I’ve received, a cup of coffee is not reportable.
Getting a newspaper with the cup of coffee is.
I know in the federal government, if you are a contract monitor, one has to report all contact on all occasions and leave a paper trail describing the contact.
Since County Commissioners are like Contract Administrators in a portion of their job , they probably have to report the slightest contact and any gratuities.
Part of the job imo
Watch out the taxpayers are watching you like big brother. I don’t think a cup of coffee would buy my vote, but I’m for sale.
Regular
Posted November 5, 2009 at 7:50 am | Permalink
In all the ethics and conduct training I’ve received, a cup of coffee is not reportable.
————————–
Di you have to take this “ethics training” for your position as a substitute music teacher down in Derby?
If Unruh has a problem with reporting everything that is given as a PAID public servant, then he deserves to understand that he’s replaceable.
Damned right, We The People are supposed to be the Big Brother, not the other way around.
Every time something like this comes up I always have the same reaction: You mean they don’t have to report that already?!? It’s like they make the rules or something. . .
Parks probably lied about the FBI. It would not be the first time.