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Where were you Judge Stilts and Clerk Garrett?

The Metcalfe County Republican Party committee did nothing wrong in choosing a candidate for Sheriff. This falls on Circuit Court Clerk Tommy Garrett and County Judge/Executive Harold Stilts. Clerk Garrett was asked on two separate occasions to be a member of this committee as it was being formed. I went to his office twice to get him to help renew the party which had been defunct for 2 and one-half years. HE said he would like to help and would try to be at the meeting. Where were you Clerk Garrett? You could have been the Chairman instead of Monday morning quarterbacking the efforts of others.

Judge Stilts, you choose not to attend the very first organizational meeting. Mayor Doug Smith attended along with 4 interested citizens. Mayor Smith made it clear he did not want to be the chairman and said he was surprised none of the other elected officials were there. All the present and past Republican elected officials were informed and asked to attend this meeting. Tommy Garrett, Sharon Howard, Judge Stilts, and Barry Gilley. Sharon Howard could not attend because of a family matter out of state. Former elected officials were also asked but they are now private citizens and I will not use their names without permission. I tried to get the previous Chairman of the party to take the position. I tried to get another previous Chairman to help and his son to be the Youth Chair. I asked many people passing through my station to attend.

Judge Stilts, you came to the second meeting set to elect permanent officers, you refused to serve as an officer, but agreed to be a voting board member only because we needed a ninth person. Judge Stilts, we wanted you to be the Chairman, remember? Judge Stilts, you caused Danny Holley to have to take the job because you would not serve. Danny Holley did not want the job. He had only agreed to a temporary appointment so we could elect officers.

The third meeting I went to Judge Stilts’ office around noon to remind him of the meeting at 7 p.m. that night. He remembered, wrote a note to himself, and told me he would see me then. I arrived right at seven and all the people were standing outside and it was very hot. Daniel Bragg or Youth Chairman was among them. I repeatedly called Harold with no answer. Judge did you forget in just 7 hours. You never did remember because you did not bother to apologize for leaving us hanging out in the heat.

Shirley Mayrand recommended we use the historic courthouse. We went to a hot, musty, and dirty room to try and do something good for the party. Judge Stilts, you are paid with taxpayer money, answer your phone.

This entire ordeal lays at the feet of the very people screaming foul ball the loudest. Where were you? Where have you been for the last 2 and one-half year? Judge Stilts himself complained that there was no party to help him when he was a candidate.

Any of those mentioned could have been the chairman or anyone else. There was no wrongdoing by the committee in this affair. If those who knew how to handle this had been there to guide people who should have never been on the committee in the first place, we would not be at this point. Had this group of citizens not formed there would not have been a party committee and under RPK rules there would be no Republican candidate at all.

You people lay up in these taxpayer-funded offices living like kings always wanting a ride, yet you never want to help pull the load.

Mr. Garrett and Mr. Stilts you own this, you are the ones with all the answers.

Charles Costello

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