Award ceremony or meeting for the people?

The first minutes of last week’s Martin County Commissioner’s meeting caused major anxiety for me. As Commission Chair Dempsey Bond spouted personal accolades for his terms on area boards, I assumed it was an award ceremony for him personally.

I was concerned I was going to miss the presentation, watching the meeting in my office rather than in the commissioner’s meeting room. Not getting a picture of the Chairman would not be good.

I soon realized the chair had appropriated 15 minutes of the citizen’s meeting for his own personal admiration. A picture would not be in order.

However, the frustration on Commissioner Skip Gurganus’ and Joe Ayers’ faces, along with the paperwork that Commissioners Ronnie Smith and Emily Biggs were shuffling rather than listening to Bond, would have made memorable campaign material.

Essentially Bond’s speech was campaign fodder at the public’s expense.

Neither of the 60 or so citizens in the meeting were impressed by the chair’s action. What Bond assumed would help clarify his previous actions of political missteps in regards to the closing of Martin General Hospital and the approval of unauthorized annual compensation for former County Manager James Bennett muddied the waters even more.

What gave Bond the idea he could simply take time out of the meeting to preach about his past? Did the Chair not think he had to place his speech on the agenda like everyone else? Does he not own a copy of Robert’s Rules?

Commissioners Gurganus and Ayers eventually stood up for the citizens and attempted to stop Bond’s personal praise, but the chair refused to move to the agenda. Bond, completely out of line even, went as far as to ask Martin County Sheriff Tim Manning to remove those who objected to the proceedings. Manning calmed the crowd.

Dempsey Bond is running for reelection to the Martin County Commission and appears to be concerned about his standing with the citizens.

He should be.

While Bond was proud of his past 27 years of service, he skipped over the past 11 months of disregard for the public’s trust in him.

Bond failed to touch on the fact he had a major hand in the MGH closing. Bond didn’t acknowledge he played a part, known or unknown, in the unauthorized raises given to Bennett. Bond also didn’t recognize cohort Ronnie Smith, sitting next to him, was paying little attention to what he had to say.

Bond ignores the people who placed him in office. Instead of preaching to the people, as the chair of the commission, he should be addressing the problems of a new county manager, reopening the hospital and convincing Biggs she is a lame duck commissioner.

Bond has failed as a leader of the commission.

Once again, Heber Coltrain, Paul Roberson and Martha MacDonald asked for the resignations of Biggs, Smith and Bond. Obviously that won’t happen.

But, the people will decide Bond’s future when they go to the polls this November.