To the Editor:

So, after several months of high level meetings dealing with the public’s business, where no minutes or recordings or even general accounts were taken (secret meetings, shhh) between everybody that couldn’t make any decisions concerning the 1943 Agreement about the North Shore Road, we find it was all for naught? The very best efforts of Swain County’s commissioners and the other signatories, and even a few politicians, to bring an end to this controversy just simply couldn’t be accomplished. Sounds like the “Humpty Dummy” story, huh?

The fictitious $52 million simply just couldn’t be justified as hush money to the welfare attitude of Swain County. How laughable! Now somebody did throw $30 million on the table. I ask you, was that too embarrassing to walk away with, children? When you stand there with your hat in your hand, cash is cash. Have the greedy got a bottom dollar price? I’ve never seen many beggars that wouldn’t take what was offered. Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have told anything about the $30 million, since nobody took notes or recorded the meetings.

Well, before this becomes some big deal that takes away from the very important issues of the day, such as personnel furloughs or turning the lights off before we leave the room(s), let me fall on the sword or take the blame, since no one else will. Simply put, “It’s all my fault, here’s where the buck stops.” I, John Herrin, am at fault for the woes of this blame game. No need to continue your efforts of pointing at someone else. I’m satisfied ya’ll would have broke through the crowd in days of old to throw the “first stone.”

I don’t know if you know it or not but, most people out here are hurting. How about ya’ll start representing the people you serve!

John Herrin

Swain County