MARCH 6, 2000

THE BLUEBERRY CAFÉ HAS BEEN SHUT DOWN. SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT THE BLUEBERRY CAFÉ IS, OR WHERE IT IS LOCATED. SOME PEOPLE MAY KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT WONDER WHAT THE BIG STINK HAS BEEN ABOUT ANYWAY.

AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE THERE ARE ISSUES THAT REALLY TEAR AWAY AT YOU. ISSUES THAT ARE DIFFICULT FROM A POLICY STANDPOINT. DIFFICULT MORALLY. DIFFICULT ETHICALLY. DIFFICULT LEGALLY. OR SIMPLY DIFFICULT BECAUSE THEY DEFY COMMON SENSE.

THE BLUEBERRY CAFÉ FITS INTO ALL THESE CATEGORIES. IT IS AN ISSUE THAT HAS TOUCHED HUNDREDS OF PEOLE, AND AN ISSUE THAT HAS STIRRED DEEP EMOTIONS IN MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE. IT HAS TOUCHED PEOPLE’S VALUES AND SENSIBILITIES LIKE FEW ISSUES DO.

IRONICALLY, IT IS AN ISSUES THAT LITERALLY HAD NO DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

I TALKED WITH MR. IVERSON IN PERSON AND ON THE PHONE A FEW TIMES. I HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT, OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR, THE CODE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER AND SEVERAL OTHER INDIVIDUALS. I AM AWARE THAT THERE WAS DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE COUNTY LEGAL DEPARTMENT, THE COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND CODE ENFORCEMENT. BUT THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS CONSTITUENT CONCERN WAS DEALT WITH WAS, I BELIEVE, UNUSUAL.

PERHAPS THERE WAS CONVERSATION THAT THE TWO OTHER COMMISSIONERS WERE INVOLVED IN THAT I AM UNAWARE OF. THAT COULD BE THE CASE, BUT TO MY KNOWLEDGE IT IS NOT.

FROM THE BEGINNING, THIS SITUATION WAS ONE THAT HAS LEFT A KNOT IN MY STOMACH. A SITUATION THAT HAS CHALLENGED MY VALUES. AND I HOPE CHALLENGED MANY OTHERS’ VALUES, AS WELL.

AND WHAT IS SO AMAZING ABOUT THIS ENTIRE ISSUE IS THAT THE DISCUSSION THAT DID TAKE PLACE, THE APPROACH TO THIS ISSUE, THE PERSPECTIVE, WAS TOTALLY OFF TARGET.

LUCKILY, HOWEVER, NOT EVERYONE MISSED THE POINT.

AND BECAUSE I FIND THIS SO AMAZING, I MUST COMMENT ON WHAT HAS TAKEN PLACE OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS. I CAN’T LET THIS GO WITHOUT EXPRESSING MY CONCERN, AND MY FRUSTRATION. AND, MY DEEPEST SYMPATHY FOR MR. IVERSON.

WHILE I MAKE NO EXCUSE, MY LACK OF ABILITY TO INTERVENE WAS BECAUSE MY HANDS WERE TIED, OR SO IT APPEARED. I WAS ALONE (AT THE COUNTY) IN TRYING TO HELP. I KEPT THINKING THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I COULD DO. I THINK THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THAT EMPTY FEELING, THAT SENSE OF HAVING FAILED MR. IVERSON AND SO MANY CITIZENS. FOR THAT I AM SORRY.

I RECEIVED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF PHONE CALLS, MANY E- MAILS AND SOME LETTERS. MOST PEOPLE, THE ONES I TALKED WITH AT LEAST, CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD THE REAL ISSUES. AND I THANK THEM FOR SEEING THROUGH ALL THE RHETORIC, AND FOR KNOWING WHAT THE REAL ISSUES ARE.

THIS, MY FRIENDS, IS ABOUT:

PROPERTY RIGHTS

FARMERS’ RIGHTS

THE RIGHT OF WE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO GATHER, TO ASSEMBLE, TO CONGREGATE

THIS IS ABOUT THE POWER OF GOVERNMENT VS. THE INDIVIDUAL’S RIGHTS.

IT WAS, AND IS NOT, ABOUT HEALTH OR SAFETY ISSUES.

SO NOW IT IS DONE. THE BLUEBERRY CAFÉ IS CLOSED. SOME WOULD SAY LIFE WILL GO ON. SOME WILL BRUSH IT ASIDE, PUT THE FILE IN THE BOTTOM DRAWER. SOME WILL SAY, “THE COUNTY FOLLOWED THE LAW, THEY DID THEIR JOB.” SOME WILL SAY WHAT WAS ALL THE STINK ABOUT ANYWAY?

FOR ME, AND FOR MANY, THIS WAS JUST ANOTHER LOUSY EXAMPLE OF GOVERNMENT GONE AWRY. LOUSY LAWS THAT DON’T PROTECT THE VERY PEOPLE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO PROTECT. LOUSY LAWS THAT TAKE MORE OF OUR FREEDOMS AWAY. LOUSY LAWS THAT DON’T WORK.

FOR ME, MY STOMACH IS STILL IN KNOTS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, IN GOVERNMENT, THIS IS JUST ONE CASE, ONE ISSUE, ONE EXAMPLE. TOMORROW THERE WILL BE ANOTHER. PERHAPS, THERE WILL BE ANOTHER CHANCE TO TRY TO RIGHT SOME OF THESE WRONGS – MAYBE. I HOPE.

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