Come on JD. Get over the TriCounty Landfill deal. You're still jaded over that long dead issue. Preston's competent and honest. A-venter has a point. It is not all about Joey Preston. Waldrep and Wilson can effect fiscal change without firing competent people. All it would take is turning their attention to the public policy that they are elected to look after and turning away from their present obsession with personally destroying Joey Preston. And if Preston doesn't want to abide within the new public policy parameters, then he can choose to leave.
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Administration Reflections
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JD I will give you there is spin on both sides.
I will argue with no one that JRP is arrogant and stubborn, heck I've said it to him myself. But to say he is incompetent is a lie.
You and others have adaquetly addressed the issue of asking dept heads to explain issues I won't go back into that.
To say MCW is prevented from speaking with division directors is a lie. I will share a story with you and will name a name since he is no longer employed by the county. As you know I am deeply involved with environmental issues. Shortly before he left I was disturbed about some allegations being made by Ms Wilson that I was reading in the paper. I confronted Vic Carpenter about it. Mr Carpenter spent a great deal of time explaining the situation to me and my concerned were relieved. I asked why he didn't just simply explain the situation to her like he did me to which he replied and I am paraphrasing "I can't tell you how many times I have asked her to meet with me on this and other issues and she has refused yet continues to spread false information about me and my dept."
First, I am over the Tri-County Landfill deal, WTP, although I should point out the $900,000 or so Anderson County left on the table for the sale of that property would go a long way toward funding that upcoming forensic audit.
Second, I won't argue over the fact that Joey Preston is competent. We can continue to disagree on his honesty (remember, I was somewhat involved in that Tri-County Landfill process, so I have some basis for that opinion - not allegation, mind you - OPINION.)
Third, I also fully agree that it would be an outrage for County Council to start firing competent staff over Council disagreements with Joey Preston. For one thing, County Council can't FIRE anybody (see S.C. Code of Laws, 4-9-660.) Preston, or whoever the Administrator happens to be at any given time, is supposed to be a buffer between staff and Council. And, in my humble opinion as a former plublic servant, hired staff should be protected from the political winds to whatever extent possible. (That doesn't mean they should be ISOLATED from Council members, who have every right to make inquiries directly as long as they don't dictate to those employees.)
Finally, I agree with you that efforts to PERSONALLY destroy Joey Preston are misguided and just plain wrong. If you've read this forum over the past couple of years, you will recall that I have, on more than on occasion, defended him against attacks against his private life and his family. But his contract is with County Council, and if they come to the conclusion that it's time for him to go, that is their right - and it is their responsibility to follow through. And that is ESPECIALLY true if he continues to try and DICTATE public policy from the Administrator's Office rather than working WITH Council to formulate those policies.
See, White Plains Drifter? We agree on almost as much as we disagree on. How about that?
Fair enough.
And, Petunia, I have never - EVER - said Joey Preston is incompetent. I've said I think he's dishonest at times. I stand behind that OPINION. I should also note here that ALL of us are. Some just refuse to admit it. 
A quote of fried green matter, “Art, so according to your post, Joey’s side is your side. Well, if Joey wants equal time, I bet Stan Welch would love to have him come on the radio. So would Rick Driver for that matter. And Joey’s problem isn’t with someone asking stupid questions. Joey’s problem is that anyone would dare to question him.”
Fried Green Matter,
My side is Anderson County and its residents. Anderson is my home, and the people of Anderson are my family, along with some cousins from Pickens and Abbeville County.
It is clear that Ms. Cindy Wilson and Mr. Bob Waldrep are in love with asking questions, and it is equally clear that Mr. Joey Preston is not in love with answering them. However, for the sake of Anderson County, Mr. Preston will have to change his methods of communication. Your suggestion that Mr. Preston should appear on the radio talk show with Stan Welch and Rick Driver is a great idea. I wonder if Stan Welch and Rick Driver are willing to send him an official invitation!
Dadgummit Art! You quit talkin' like that. Pretty soon you're gonna have the Hatfields and the McCoys sitting in a room trying to figure out what started this stupid feud in the first place. We feud because we Hatfields love to hate them despicable McCoys. And vice versa. It we didn't have them to feud with, somebody would have to do a little work around here..... perhaps even make some meaningful public policy.
There are those who believe thatMr. Preston is indeed the heartof Anderson County. He would seem to be one of those. As to his staff, there are many who feel that those making high five figure and even six figure salaries are paid for their loyalty and obedience as much as for their particular skills or talents. For example, Jeff Ricketson was the second or third choice for planning director, according to the scuttlebutt around the old historic courthouse. Clearly Bill Striewing, former animal control officer in Cherokee County, is paid for his personal loyalty to Mr. Preston. The same could be said of ACSE Center director Charles Wyatt, who also followed Preston over from Cherokee.
JD, I believe the history of the fine art of turning lies into truth goes back much farther than that. Goebbels is a name that comes to mind, and of course, there is the apocryphal story about LBJ trying to accuse his opponent in a tough race for the U.S. House of bestiality. When told that such a charge was outrageous, LBJ reportedly said, "I know. But make the sonuvabitch deny it."
Art, I have been known to drink a beer or two with Stan Welch on occasion. In fact, I'll probably do that very thing later this evening. ButI will tell you this, because he has told it to me. Joey Preston has a standing invitation to appear on Stan's Saturday morning show.He has had that invitation since shortly after Stan started his show.
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drifter, I just saw your original post after my opinion near the top. To quote you, "Came to me from a reliable source this week." That same reliable source just told me that there is not one piece of truth in your post. Funny how our so-called reliable sources talk out of both sides of their mouth, isn't it? He also told me that Blogger has to be none other than Gracie Funny Floyd by the things she says about her idol, Joey. The citizens of this county owe Bob Waldrep and Cindy Wilson a hearty THANKS for not giving up and for asking the questions that got Preston squirming in his seat. Cindy for Council Chairperson and Bob for Administrator! Anderson County will rise again and we will PREVAIL.
Plumbbob, we could go all the way back to the ancient Romans if we wanted to. Yes, Goebbels was a master of propaganda, and LBJ was a master of the fine art of lying to get his way.
But the fine art of repeating lies often enough that people actually believe them - well, Lyndon Johnson again may have honed that art a bit, and Richard Nixon probably would have perfected if he hadn't gotten caught with his hand on the Watergate break-in, but it remained the task of Congressional Democrats during the early Reagan years to refine it to a fine art. (They also perfected the art of trying to criminalize politics - remember Iran-Contra? Remember Ray Donovan?)
Others of both parties then took those partisan tools and ran with them, leading us to the dysfunctional Congress and Executive branches we have today.
By the way, regarding that apocryphal story about LBJ leveling outrageous allegations against a political opponent in a U.S. House race, you might want to ask one of our regular posters here about that. His screen name - and the name of Johnson's opponent in that 1948 race - was none other than former Texas Governor Coke Stevenson. 
Seems like a lot of former Texas governors are the targets of lies and outrageous allegations during political campaigns. What's up with that?
Prevail you often wrong but never in doubt. I truly do hope "hearsay" about certain council members accusing Preston of preposterous crimes is poppycock. But if it isn't, remember you heard it hear first.
Re:by friedgreenmater
Art, I have been known to drink a beer or two with Stan Welch on occasion. In fact, I'll probably do that very thing later this evening. But I will tell you this, because he has told it to me. Joey Preston has a standing invitation to appear on Stan's Saturday morning show. He has had that invitation since shortly after Stan started his show.
Fried Green Mater,
It is good to know that Mr. Joey Preston has a standing invitation to appear on Stan’s Saturday morning show. I wonder, does this invitation also extend to members of his administration?
Posted: July 11, 16:00.
And plumbbob, you're right: Ricketson is a hack. I heard he had no prior background in planning and was a part-time spitoon polisher for Preston in Cherokee County before coming to Anderson. At least Striewing had over 30 years in law enforcement experience and Wyatt had ten years experience in marketing and media.
Well, now, I know that can't be true. As I recall, they don't have spittoons in Cherokee County. They use styrofoam cups or the sidewalk, just like people do here.
JD may I be the first to say thank you for using logic and fact to shoot down another baseless rumor
Is there anyone here that if put in a management position, wouldn't bring in or build a trusted personnel staff.
A Sheriff does it.
A Governor does it.
A President does it.
I would expect the next Administrator, Supervisor (hehe) 
to do it.
And I expected no less from JP.
07/11/08 6:19 PM
A-venter, controlling spending is a noble public policy objective that Council could easily pursue through its budget process. However, I must object to assertions that County debt is a bad thing. Did anybody take note this week that our excellent credit rating with affirmed this week? That's not something that happens to your average out-of-control spendthrift who max's out the family credit card. The Council and Administrator have managed our debt during the past decade to make investments in needed growth-related infrastructure such as libraries and parks and jails. And rather than make everybody who is here now pony up and pay the whole cost up front, the bonded indebtedness spreads out the cost over a period of years so that the newbies that we are building the additional facilities for get to help US pay for them over a period of several years. That's fair to the taxpayers and just good business. So quit trying to equate sound debt management at the county with unsound personal debts. Bonded indebtedness helps make paying for big items more fair and equitable.
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Aventer, Charles Wyatt has cost the County at least $400K for a sexual harassment lawsuit, Tommy Thompson and Josh Logan both left ESD/Central Dispatch under threat of same type of lawsuit, and of course, JRP's stormwater expert has him by the short hairs,with a pre-filed SH lawsuit which could easily cost the county millions of dollars. Striewing, whose shelf life can be measured in months, is an incompetent asshole who, if he actually has 30 years in LE, should grab early retirement while he can.Does that inl;cude his stint as a dog catcvher in Cherokee County? HE's a punk and a paid thug. And he couldn't get another job in law enforcement if he tried.
