A much-needed watchdog
Angela Zimmerlink’s days on the Fayette County Housing Authority board of directors are numbered. Her term soon will expire and as it stands now only one Fayette County commissioner has expressed interest in seeing her reappointed. It would be a mistake to dismiss Zimmerlink’s role on shedding light on the housing authority’s practices. Zimmerlink rarely is effective in swaying other board members to see the error of their ways. However, she is a tenacious public watchdog whose presence is necessary at an authority that bounces from one troublesome encounter into another. Executive Director Tom Harkless and Chairman Ken Johnson would prefer to handle problems quietly in-house without any public disclosure.
They have attempted to keep Zimmerlink on the outside and last week’s meeting illustrates just how frustrating this can be. She had called for the special meeting and had asked for certain items to be listed on the agenda. They were not, nor was she provided with information that she had requested.
If Zimmerlink, a board member, has this much difficulty in gaining access to public information from a public agency on which she was appointed to serve, how much more difficult must it be for John and Susie Citizen.
Zimmerlink plays a vital role. As Commissioner Sean Cavanagh said, “She’s the lone voice for standing up for what’s right out there. I think that dissent in government is the hallmark of democracy.” Further, “She’s the Lone Ranger out there – and Tonto’s nowhere to be found. … Angela should not be removed for being outspoken and the voice of the citizens she represents.”
Commissioner Ron Nehls has no plans to reappoint Zimmerlink. Instead he prefers someone who can play well with others as he views Zimmerlink as too negative, not offering solutions to problems. Said Nehls, “We need watchdogs, there’s no question about it. Lord knows we have enough of them in Fayette County. But when you come down to the point of identifying problems, the idea is, ‘How do we solve this problem?’ In (the last) four years, it just continues to fester rather than be solved.”
But that isn’t the fault of Zimmerlink. The fault lies with the others who fail to admit that there are problems. So even if Nehls would replace her the problems would remain. The public just wouldn’t hear about them. Some members actually were considering adopting a policy that would prohibit board members from talking to the press.
Commissioner Vince Vicites remains noncommitted on Zimmerlink. Hopefully he can be persuaded to vote with Cavanagh to reappoint her.