EDGAR CO. (ECWd) –
In a time in our country when more and more personal rights are being violated, as evident by none other than 4 former Edgar County employees, it’s disgusting enough to see the issue of trying to ban a baby from a public facility over breast feeding but now with time and research more is coming to the surface.
Edgar County has a known history of intimidation and disregard for the law by its public officials and it appears the exposure of actions from the Airport employees is producing the same behavior.
What has been verbalized to RSB Aviation is retaliation for a family standing their ground on their right to do nothing more than feed their child naturally.
According to the airport board members, they did not “hear” anything about breastfeeding during their last meeting and now the claim is being made that the discussion was about a child running around the property, although word has it that “some” are “possibly” remembering otherwise!
If, and its a very big IF, a child running around was true, would it make any sense at all for a father to fabricate a breast feeding story? Would it make any sense for the Grandfather, who was present during the meeting, fabricated the breast feeding story? Would anyone in their right mind spend money to get private legal counsel on such a matter if it wasn’t true, all while knowing you would have a room full of people claiming it to be false? You dig into your pocket to spend money on an attorney when you are confident you have been violated or know your rights have been infringed. That is normal!
Looking at the overwhelming comments and support for Rusty and his company, I find it hard to believe that Rusty Bogue fabricated the events outlined.
It has been confirmed that the board did make a motion and authorize Jimmy Wells to handle the situation as he sees fit. So we must ask, WHAT SITUATION needed handled?
When you start to analyze things you find serious conflict with peoples position and the relation those positions have with both documented information and direct verbal confirmations.
For example, why does the employee at the airport take a county vehicle home at lunch every day? It was expressed by Mr. Wells that it was because the employee was bothered by the breast feeding so now “We The People” pick up the tab for private use of public property yet again. They don’t deny the employee takes the vehicle home for lunch so if breastfeeding wasn’t ever discussed, as the Board Members are claiming, why now does this employee need to be provided a vehicle to go home and eat?
The fact is he takes that vehicle home during lunch because he was bothered by the feeding, which happens during the lunch time frame! This whole problem started about the most basic right a mother has, a right to feed her child naturally!
When the board members were confronted and denied any discussion of breastfeeding taking place why was there no mention or clarification that the issue was about a child running around the office and/or hanger area not breastfeeding?
I suspect it is because that excuse hadn’t been thought of yet. If the truthful issue was a child running around the property would it be so difficult to simply establish a policy properly for the public at large to comply with for the safety of everyone?
If it didn’t happen is Mr. Wells willing to face a lie detector? Investigators use them so why not use them to get to the truth of this matter?
THE TRUTH HAS NO AGENDA!
Compound these events with the termination of the lease it would appear we have a case of intimidation from the county airport employee and board members who support this action.
This weekend generated a lot of upset people visiting the airport and letting Mr. Wells know how they feel about his actions. During one of those discussions Mr. Wells expressed that it wasn’t all his idea to have RSB Aviation lease terminated.
Several people were present and heard that statement from Mr. Wells so more questions are generated. Who is pulling the strings that Mr. Wells answers too? No board action was taken on this matter so again, under what authority was this lease terminated?
A bigger question is under what authority was the lease issued? Mr. Wells has no authority to issue leases at the airport according to statute so how is it that he would have authority to terminate one? Its clearly not a power in his contract to establish and manage leases and even if it were, it has not been handled in compliance with the statue but that shouldn’t surprise anyone in Edgar County as its the norm in virtually every division of our County Government.
Don’t take my word for it, read it yourself!
General County Airport and Landing Field Act.
620 ILCS 40/6) (from Ch. 15 1/2, par. 74)
(Sec. 6. The county board of every county has the power (1) to lease all or any part of such an airport, landing field, facilities, and other structures, and fix and collect rentals therefor,(2) to fix, charge, and collect rentals, tolls, fees, and charges to be paid for the use of the whole or any part of such an airport or landing field, buildings, or other facilities, (3) to make contracts for the operation and management of such an airport, landing field, or other air navigation facilities, and (4) to provide for the use, management, and operation of such an airport, landing field, or air navigation facilities through lessees thereof, or through its own employees, or otherwise. However, no lease for the operation or management of such an airport, landing field, or air navigation facilities shall be made for more than one year except to the highest and best bidder, after notice of the lease or contract has been given by at least one publication, made at least one week before the date of the lease or contract, in a newspaper of general circulation published in the county.
(Source: Laws 1941, vol. 1, p. 463.)
Whats it mean? The COUNTY BOARD has the power to lease! Each numbered item is a COUNTY BOARD power granted. The power to lease is not in the hands of the Airport Manager even though it is the Airport Manager who issued the lease.
Yet another example of a division of County Government that has neither read the statute its bound to or implemented and apply it as the law requires.
As usual, each and every time we dig into the operations of our public bodies we find things that have nothing to do with what first lead us to that public body. In this case its become very clear yet more public employee’s taking advantage of the tax payer by use of public property for personal use.
We fully intend to expose that information in a separate article as to not cloud the issue pertaining to RSB Aviation.
In light of the outlined information it only makes sense for the County Board to ensure the law is being followed at the airport and immediately retract the bogus termination notice provided to RSB Aviation and take steps to start doing things the way the law outlines. That is not asking to much!
Failure to do so has numerous legal ramifications but all those aside, do they really want to be responsible for the unemployment of 5 full time people and 3 part timers employed by RSB Aviation? The impact of a family losing their business is bad enough but there is also 8 families being directly impacted over this bogus termination.
If we are to assume for the sake of argument that breastfeeding has nothing to do with this chain of events and its really about a child running around, are we going to allow something so trivial to directly impact the lives of so many people?
Does the Airport Board and Airport Manager really want to be responsible for 8 people loosing their jobs right before the Holidays?
Is the Airport Board and Airport Manager going to be the Grinch that stole Christmas for 9 families this year?
Men of honor should stand up and fix this mess but I’m afraid based on the historic actions of our officials we are running short of any Men of Honor. I pray they prove me wrong!
I urge everyone to attend the December 3rd, 2012 County Board meeting at 9 am at the Courthouse and express your concern over this matter. The voice of the people is the beginning of fixing a broke system. Each and every member of the public who attends has a right to 5 minutes of time to express their thoughts on any matter of concern to them.
If you KNOW you will be attending the meeting PLEASE post below in the comment section and let us know. If we KNOW the number is so large that they all can’t fit into the Courtroom they will have to have the meeting at a different location!
God Help Edgar County and may God Help RSB Aviation!
