The human factor trumps political, accountability issues for one citizen

After offering some budget suggestions and wondering at the influence of one, appointed interim municipal manager on issues of mutual interest to the Town and County such as tourism and the rehabilitation of the joint Economic Development Authority, community activist Paul Gabbert took what he called a “personal” turn at the first of two March 10 Warren County Board of Supervisors work sessions.

That turn was public acknowledgment of the recent death of his and wife Bonnie’s daughter in Colorado, and an offering of thanks to two County officials he doesn’t always see eye to eye with.

“This past November our oldest daughter who lives in Colorado took her own life. I wanted to express in public, my wife and my thanks to Mr. Stanley and Mr. Carter, who I wish had been here,” Gabbert said in acknowledgment of Carter’s absence from the meeting, continuing “who reached out to us with their condolences.

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words – Royal Examiner Photo and Video by Mark Williams.

“Both have received my wrath from this podium many times, but both took their time to reach out to us and give us their condolences, and that means a lot – that’s all I have,” an emotional Gabbert concluded before leaving the public speakers’ podium to shake County Administrator Stanley’s hand at his place on the board and staff dais, as he would have with Carter as well if the Happy Creek supervisor had been present.

It was an unexpected and moving break from the ongoing board and citizen critique of the public behavior of County, Town and EDA officials in the wake of the forensic audit of EDA finances in recent years, consequent civil litigations, criminal indictments and search for reasons and accountability.

It was a moment captured, and worth revisiting, on this Royal Examiner video – and Paul and Bonnie, condolences too, from us at the Royal Examiner and National Media.