Imagined Smear Campaigns, Actual Truth Always Hides

It’s been an eventful week. I fell at my property, tripped over myself, and did a somersault, landing hard on my left side. I hurt my back a little, which also caused my neck to hurt quite a bit afterward. I had to rest a bit this week, but you know – “I get knocked down, but I get up again…”

Election season highlights one of the reasons I started the Whisper. Although the majority of people are waking up, I think it’s a perfect time to remind everyone where we were a year ago before The Falmouth Whisper started.

This town had a hierarchy and a shadow. That hierarchy was fueled by the good ole’ boys network, which has controlled things since tradition ran rampant all over this town and county.

Power centers had solidified into certain camps, and the person who was making changes after viewing all the facts was being arrested after his sheep was stolen and hidden. Yes, that is the legacy of what Falmouth was bringing to the news at the time.

The mayor who had created a historic budget surplus had been impeached. Why, you ask? Well, that view is divided, but one thing is for sure: the city council, so accustomed to running roughshod over the public, did what they wanted. They spent $20,000 to $40,000 and valuable time that could have brought even more change to impeach Mayor Sebastian Ernst.

At the same time, the Falmouth Police, ignoring legality, hid the sheep statue for months in the police station’s basement. Then, when it was uncovered from a flooding photo and the issue was confronted by its rightful owner, they trespassed him from city property.

Next, Sebastian was invited to a council meeting by Craig Owen, a sitting council member. At that time, Chief Marty Hart arrested Sebastian, ignoring Falmouth’s city attorney, Brandon Voelker, ignoring other attorneys’ advice, and finally settling on the advice of KLC. They arrested the former mayor.

I got tired of watching the news, and the only time Falmouth was mentioned, there were headlines pointing out the shit show that Falmouth broadcast so well. Impeached mayor, lame duck mayor, mayor with purpose that they impeached, runaway mayor, and since that time, appointed mayor. That has been the history of Falmouth’s governing since I have lived there.

I started The Falmouth Whisper to upend decades of good ole’ boy favored governance. I have not been kind. I have not been cruel. But the whole time, I have been truthful.

Falmouth’s issues are not alone. When you look at the greater area of Pendleton County, that is governed by that same good ole’ boy network. You know the one, where truth is usually last place to hidden agendas. Where trickle down benefits never quite reach the bottom. Where jobs are scarce, and there is a body of people who think governance of the county is based on how they feel about the faces governing.

When you look deeper, scratch the surface, the truth is plain. The faces have two sides. Corruption. Collusion. Nepotism. Favoritism. Hidden benefits. Silent shunning. And rot. That is what has ruled this area for way too long.

The decent officials are ignored time and again. The officials that should be long gone are propped up by an image and facade with underlying taint. The officials that break the mold and speak up are mostly kicked to the curb. The whole time, the people are the last to know and the last to have a voice.

Elections are supposed to be different. People should be able to evaluate what has been and weigh it with what is being promised and make a good decision. Yet every single time a truth is revealed, the wildly uninformed prop up the worst choices made about people who are just great friends and neighbors. Service to the public is not a popularity contest. The prize at the end of “seems like a great guy, person, valued neighbor, or friend as an official” usually ends in what we have had. If you’re not going to hold your officials truly accountable, why even participate in voting?

Then we come to the local paper, The Falmouth Outlook. The historic institution that owes every single person in Falmouth the responsibility of telling the truth. It is biased and directed, reporting the truth through a lens that favors that good ole’ boy network.

Getting back to the impeachment of Sebastian Ernst, the city officials should explain why they impeached a mayor, wasted his budget surplus, gave too much money to the police budget, and then a couple years later decided to follow most of his plans.

Outsourcing the trash was originally something Sebastian brought up.

County wide fire district, with even the volunteers being included, was Sebastian’s idea.

Warning us of the electric transmission line that would have to be replaced, Sebastian did. The council ignored it, and now they are scrambling to figure out what to do.

At the time, Sebastian mentioned outsourcing the electric grid, and even though no one has said it, the city government has dropped the ball, and I would bet they may have no choice. A huge loss of money and opportunity. But where else is the money for the transmission line going to come from?

The city council at the time forced a mayor out because they were not, and some still are not, capable of making tough decisions. They drag things out to the detriment of everyone except those that benefit from the power.

Thank God this business has nothing to do with trying to please people. Whisper Networks LLC appreciates your support, but we will continue without it. The truth needs to be spoken on a regular basis. And someone has to stand in the face of that good ole’ boy network and say they’ve had enough.

Nice to meet you. My name is Chris Collins, Whisper One for Whisper Networks LLC. You have also met and seen Tommy Weber, Whisper Two. We are just getting started. In a year, through 3.2 million views, we have operated by the principle that we will report the facts. We will continue.

Whisper One Out