The word's come down from on high: Planning Director David Stalheim can't seem to get the message right. And so, you can expect Pete will have to send him packin' like poor old Hal Hart.You gotta feel sorry for David. He's really stuck between the proverbial rock and the hard place.
On one hand, he tells Pete's pals what they want to hear and looks like a fool to his peers in the planning profession. Or, he feigns ignorance and gets blamed when the county gets called for gaming the system.
Remember the little business where Pete had Planning draw that big ole LAMIRD on Squalicum Mountain to include his property and finesse zoning? That went over real good!
I still remember Pete squealin' when it was caught; how it cost him a million bucks. Then he bragged how he'd get reelected and make up for it. I didn't realize it then, he must have already figured out the tricky little move that got him that big raise.
To his credit, Stalheim has pulled the Planning Department back together after the last shooting. They are actually getting things done. But he's been unable to tell the guys who count what they want to hear. So, Pete and Dewey are spreading the word, season's open for planning directors.
Now I confess, after the Hart massacre, I heaped a lot of derision on Stalheim. But heck, it was pretty obvious Pete and his pals went shoppin for someone who'd get the message right.
Trouble is, that's what they got! It's just hard to find anyone who can read who's gonna tell 'em what they want to hear.
The really rich part, is watchin' all these local land abuse attorneys takin' money from these fools who believe, just cuz they can buy the county council, and buy the county executive, they're supposed to have it their way.
These scissorbills got a pretty good thing goin'; keep tellin' these fools to sue and send the checks. Seems there's a sucker born every minute, and a whole bar ready to take 'em.
So now these guys have told their boy Pete, in no uncertain words, to get the message to Stalheim.
But ya know what kinda takes the humor out of the whole thing? How much it's costin us to defend ourselves from these greedy bastards.
It's a real double bind. We eat the legal expense, and time for county employees to respond to all these lawsuits they cook up; or we end up eatin' all the costs of providin' the infrastructure and services their little projects entail.
It's almost more than a simple fella can comprehend.
Well I guess the best we can do is minimize our losses, and just say thanks to Pete's pals the only way we can. I say it's open season on county executives.
Let's shoot the messenger.
