Let your conscience be your guide
February 29th, 2008, 9:27 am · 10 Comments · posted by Ted Roth
Scott County Commissioner Elmer Witwer voted against a liquor license because “I don’t vote for anything pertaining to alcohol,” he said. “It’s my personal belief — I’m opposed to (alcohol).”
This raises the question: Are elected officials supposed to follow the wishes of their constituents or are they supposed to vote their conscience?
I’ll talk about that more in my Sunday column (posted sometime that day), but what do you think about his vote and the general question?
February 29th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
I think it is great if the guy is morally opposed to something and that he has personal beliefs that he wants to express, but he has certainly chosen the wrong avenue to express them. Justifying his vote with a personal belief is a big mistake. If he has constituents who are morally opposed to alcohol then he should vote and support his vote accordingly, but using his position to satisfy his own agenda is inappropriate.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Elmer is an elected official who is supposed to represent the people. If the people want alcohol at the golf course, then he should have voted accordingly. He is not in office to force his beliefs onto his county. I believe that he thought he would hold that office for the rest of his life and is now angry that he has been voted out. As chairman he now has the opportunity to make life miserable for the other commissioners and the voters. Elmer, please use your Christian beliefs and don’t be vindictive. Do the job at hand and leave the office with dignity instead of ridicule.
March 1st, 2008 at 12:58 pm
It really comes down to what you feel is in the public good. The man disagrees with most on this issue and that is the reason he was not given the opportunity to be re-elected. But keep in mind that there is no “agenda” or vindictiveness on this issue. He has always (past and present) been open and transparent about his feelings about alcohol. As far as “vindictiveness” or “bringing misery for the other commissioners” goes; the bar has been set pretty darn low by the previous Chairman.
March 1st, 2008 at 9:02 pm
Elmer has been an a Commissioner for 12 years and has never voted to approve a liquor license. This is not new. He has always been supported through the years by a largely religious elderly population that is typical of Scott County. Keep in mind also that Eric took a new job, disappeared for four months and then came in and rescheduled the meetings without any discussion. This is a three-person commission, not Kingdom. Eric’s youth and inexperience dealing with others led us problem. Since Eric childishly refuses to resign, he just collects his check and the other two do his work.
March 2nd, 2008 at 9:06 am
Scott County has always been an old boys school. It is time that it woke up and joined the 21st century. It is time for the younger people to be involved and try to revitalize a dying county. In just the 12 years that I have been away, I have been amazed at how dreary and abandoned it seems. There is no law stating that a commissioner must be retired or a self employed farmer. Let the younger people have their chance to govern and please adapt to new technology. I still consider Scott County as home, but come on, it needs to adapt.
March 2nd, 2008 at 9:45 am
Absolutely! We need to encourage qualified people to participate in governance. But, they must be willing to ACTIVELY participate. County business (like any other) cannot be handled in two separate 1 hour meetings as Eric Little insists. There lies the central problem.
March 3rd, 2008 at 7:56 am
If it takes booze at a golf course to revive a dying county then I say let it die. I commend Mr. Witwer on sticking to his guns. Of course, I happen to agree with him.
March 3rd, 2008 at 9:50 am
He is not supposed to do “what he feels is in the public good.” He was not elected to do what he thinks his right. He was elected to represent his constituents. I don’t think you should commend a man for sticking to his guns, when in doing so; he is failing to perform his duties and letting down his supporters. I am indifferent as to whether or not they serve alcohol at the golf course, but then again I am not a citizen of Scott County so he is not representing me. It sounds like he is not representing anyone but himself.
March 3rd, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Not a citizen of Scott. But, informed and with an opinion. Yeah right.
March 6th, 2008 at 10:45 am
My apologies, anon. I guess I mis-understood my rights as a American citizen. I was under the impression that I could not only be informed of how local governmnet works, but also have an opionion on it. I guess that is not the case if I don’t happen to live in the county where the mis-application of an elected official’s power has taken place.