2018 was quite a year. Are we better or worse as a county? Are we moving towards honesty, integrity, clean government, accountability, ethics and transparency or away from those things?
We desperately need checks and balances in a political system that has been too backroom, too hypocritical and too insider for too long. Not long ago the Tea Party took over that system with promises to clean out the crooked cronies. The rank and file were betrayed when “leaders” changed the actors for new ones who ended up being as or more crooked. But, is there any light? Maybe. In the last few months, I see five big achievements and five inspirations.
Let’s start with the five inspirations. They are all women. None of them will be getting any awards from the Chamber of Commerce or a photo op with the Commissioners or even handed a certificate of appreciation with a big handshake from Commissioner David Painter. They are all leaders of ten times the character, integrity and capability of many of those featured in those photo op awards.
First on my list is Renee Gerber of Amelia. She is an inspiration to every citizen abused by government. Amelia’s crooked counsel passed a secret income tax. Months later when the citizens found out, she and others stood up. Since the government had taken away the fundamental right of petition and referendum, Renee tenaciously moved to dissolve the government to get their attention. She did. Then, in a crooked move, the government changed the law for citizens to dissolve the government and famously refused already completed and 100% valid petitions. Renee and friends went to petitions for Charter Amendments to restore basic rights of citizen recall, petition and referendum. The government lied about the nature of the Charter Amendments on big signs throughout the Village and Renee and friends crushed it. They dominantly won on their Charter Amendments.
Renee Gerber is a profile in what an empowered, capable citizen should be and can do. Her victory is an inspiration to “watchdogs” everywhere.
Second is Rachel Richardson of Milford. Rachel caught Milford Council in improper backroom meetings just about 2 years ago and stood up. She sued, and Milford settled and agreed to an injunction (they committed to change their ways). 2018 brought FC Cincinnati and, again, a series of improper backroom Milford meetings. She sued again. Her action was critical to shedding more light on the complete mess that is the FC Cincinnati practice facility deal. Her beef was not FC Cincinnati but the déjà vu of sketchy backroom Milford government. Over time, she has also seen how such government foolishly wastes money in horribly inept deals that prioritize millions in tax dollars to millionaires.
Rachel Richardson is another profile of how important it is to have people who stand up for something very simple: right vs. wrong.
Third on my list is Suellen Brafford, an attorney in Batavia. Suellen got on the wrong side of the Republican Party by running for judge when she was supposed to drop out. She represented me in the David Uible election petition matter that resulted in him being removed from the ballot. She has represented me in the Linda Fraley nepotism matter. Truth be told, Suellen and I are very different people, but I respect that she is a person you can count on to do the right thing when it matters. Not based on insider politics but based on that simple thing I mentioned before: right and wrong.
Suellen Brafford deserves to be a Judge in our county someday. She is a good person who works for justice.
Fourth on my list is June Creager. You might say, “Who is June Creager?” June was the head of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (CVB) when, in 2012, Commissioner David Uible took it over in what he called a “coup d’état.” He replaced most of the CVB Board. He fired June, who was the President, to replace her with his former Company COO. June is now long retired, but, whenever something good or bad happens in my activities, I can count on June to text me some words of inspiration. That has meant so much to me.
June Creager, and her colleagues at the CVB, did not deserve what happened to them in 2012. She has lived with it ever since. Is she a perfect person? None of us are but she is the type of person I like to fight for.
Fifth on my list is my wife, BJ Hicks. My wife puts up with much from me and because of me. She hates government meetings, but if I ask her to come and film the meeting, she is there by my side. When I get down, attacked, beaten up and berated she always encourages me.
BJ is a quiet person, and always has been, but without her I would be nowhere. She is stronger than I could ever hope to be but in a totally different way.
So, there you have five women of true courage. And there you have the incredible progress going on. Regular people being part of real ethical and moral change. All of them are Clermont County patriots.
Let’s move on to the five achievements. A ton of sketchy stuff has been slowed or stopped because of me and others, like the five women I noted, paying attention. In the last month or so alone there have been five notable things:
• The Commissioners reversed the illegal hiring of Brown County Recorder Amy DeClaire.
• The Commissioners denied Auditor Fraley’s improper attempt to get money to pay Strauss Troy for past legal fees.
• The Commissioners paused (and hopefully stopped) the improper appointment of Adam Bird to the Library Board.
• The 10th District Court of Appeals re-opened the Auditor Fraley nepotism case citing an improper dismissal by Judge Howard Sunderman.
• Federal court issued a preliminary injunction against Clermont County to protect 1st Amendment Rights.
All of those are “wins.” But ultimately, it all needs to come together to change our political culture. That is elusive and simply slowing or stopping sketchy stuff does not portend a change in culture. We need a more ethical, transparent, accountable, moral and honest political and government culture in Clermont County. In Clermont County, the lines between government and the Republican Party are blurry. I assure you shouts of “drain the SWAMP” coming from Republican Party Headquarters in Batavia, for many in the party, are not meant to apply to our own county.
I am excited about 2019. I hope you all are. I am sure a few more leaders, like the five I mentioned, and a few more wins will come. The ones that matter won’t be from insiders. They will be from “We the People.”