The County Court is now operating like a cabal intent on a coup. This is a rare event in the history of any Democracy and the carnage that accompanies this type of perfect storm is Catastrophic and could be irreparable. It is time to speak up.
Commissioner Shannon, you speak of wanting public input and even mention Town Hall meetings. This is after you have voted to approve an illegal Order 2023-01 that gives Probate to Circuit Court. You have stated privately and in public meetings you want to do away with the County Court Judge position and install a Board of Commissioners. How can you possibly square these diametrically opposing statements? You invited my wife and myself over to your house and told both of us that Judge Farrar "probably rewrote the Oregon revised statue" that made the order 2023-01 seem like it was passed under proper ORS law. Now, in texts with me, you deny you believe that.
You are continually lobbying the the Eastern Oregon County Caucus to get behind your push to eliminate all judicial duties of County Judges. You have begged them to support Senate Bill 1576 with amendment -9 attached that would give all the decisions to County Courts on:
1. Deciding if they want to eliminate judicial duties
2. Eliminating County Judge as an elected position
3. Installing a Board of Commissioners
All of this without a vote of the people. Shame on you Pat Shannon. How can you post on Facebook and tell everyone you meet how much you value their opinion and input from the people in your decision making when you are going behind their back lobbying for them to have no vote at the ballot box on huge permanent structural changes to our time tested form of county government? You never ran for office on that platform; perhaps that's why you’re so secretly going behind the voters back in your pursuit of your own agenda.
When someone constantly talks the talk and never walks the walk; when our actions don't reflect our words, we become the Man the time-tested expression is talking about "actions speak louder than words". Pat Shannon you are that man.
Factoid: Pat Shannon has consistently referenced experts (gives no names) that support his position of structural overhaul of county government. There is a strong and growing coalition that is lobbying Salem for the -9 amendment to be dropped from SB 1576. This coalition includes 8 former Judges and 4 current Judges of the Counties involved as well as 9 former and active Commissioners.
—Lenn Ball, Arlington Resident
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