July 25, 2012 — The editor:
The proposed merger of the Carter and Boyd County Jails is an extreme case of elected officials ignoring the will of the their neighbors, friends and citizens they have sworn an oath to faithfully represent. It is difficult to believe they would intentionally do this. After speaking to many people here I have yet to find or hear of any individual anywhere in this county that is in favor of this jail agreement, other than the judge and three magistrates. If there is financial numbers in support of Judge Wallace and his three supporters’ position why not share that with the public? Why was this idea put together in secret in the first place, if there is not something they need to hide?
If the reasons above are not enough why would anyone consider surrendering any of Carter County's autonomy to Boyd? Nothing against Boyd but giving them three votes to our two, we may as well not even have representation on the authority at all. Boyd will do what is in their interest (they would be crazy to do otherwise) exactly as their as their Magistrate Carl Tolliver said they would. The jail authority, once established will be very painful financially for Carter County to get out of if not impossible. If we think the jail is expensive now wait until we have to pay whatever Boyd says, we ain't seen nothing yet!
The judge and two of the supporting magistrates that I know have always been reasonable men. I urge the magistrates and Judge Wallace to rethink this. Give us reasonable explanations with numbers why we should enter an arrangement so stacked against us. This jail authority has so many flaws apparent to everyone other than to the four men supporting it, either the whole county is wrong or these four men are. Can 90-percent of Carter County be this wrong?
Mike Malone
