The triumvirate can't even be bothered to pretend to do the right thing.
Commissioners Forrest Floyd, Vera Jones and Phil Kieffer had so little to say during the Sept. 10 discussion about the county's auditor, it seemed as if they might agree to put out for bids the job of auditing the county's finances.
Chairman Wendall Kessler and Commissioners Reggie Loper and Steve Mason made well-reasoned arguments about why the county should seek new bids.
It fell on deaf ears and made-up minds.
Kessler votes only in case of a tie. The votes were ones that are becoming all-too-familiar in Effingham County: 3-2 and 3-2. The first vote was against seeking a new auditor and the second was to keep Caines, Hodges & Company.
Get used to seeing 3-2 votes in Effingham County, at least until the next election.
The three said very little in agreeing to hire Caines again. "I have confidence in Mr. Caines," Floyd said. He smugly added that he wouldn't make a "big speech" because it would "get reinterpreted."
He invited people in District 1 to call him if they want an explanation.
The sole person from the public to speak at the meeting was a voter from District 1 who said he's tired of the county getting negative publicity. "We've been in the papers way too much," he said.
He urged commissioners to seek an auditor who is based 100 miles away, who doesn't have any connections here.
Floyd didn't address the man's concerns. Apparently the man will have to telephone Floyd for an explanation.
We, too, are tired of conflict in Effingham County. It would be easier to write about rainbows and fluffy bunnies.
And we sometimes wonder if we're doing any good with our editorials.
But then we hear many voices who urge us to continue.
And we see signs of reason, as in the City of Springfield choosing to fire Caines and seek another auditing firm.
Springfield has observed the hubbub and chosen what we believe to be a safer, more sane path by hiring a different company.
One that doesn't give personal opinions about county staff members.
And one that doesn’t permit a cozy agreement with the finance director not to throw each other “under the bus.”