It's a bonafide friggin' anomaly.
This morning Action Greensboro switched on the new Wi-Fi connection (N&R) in the new Center City Park in downtown Greensboro. The signal must be bouncing off the Wachovia Building's smoky glass facade in such a way that young professional hikers who decide to tear themselves away from Joey Medaloni's den's of equity building can sit high atop Roan Mountain in East Tennessee and stay connected.
I rolled out of the tent this morning, switched on my WiFi enabled PDA and, to my utter amazement, got connected. The opening screen said "Welcome to SynerG WiFi" so I checked the news in Greensboro and found evidence that County Commissioner Chair Bob Landreth might have been playing a political game of "chicken" with High Point childrens' educations for the past month or so. Commissioner Steve Arnold put it this way according to the N&R's account of last night's meeting
"Mr. Chairman, I'm curious as to your thoughts … because you have now voted twice against this without giving the public an adequate explanation and now apparently you've changed your mind."
Landreth voted twice in the past month to deny releasing $2M in bond money to the School Board for improvements needed to implement the High Point Choice Plan. After each vote he refused to explain his action to the press. I believe at least a part of the explanation that Arnold was looking for can be found in the outcome of Tuesday's primary elections.
A full day-and-a-half after voters made their selections for who's names will occupy the ballot in November - he switched his vote. Candidates' stances on the Choice Plan were a pivotal factor for how many Guilford County voters made their school board primary selections, and to some extent - their county commissioner picks as well.
Having decided to not seek a 64th term on the Board of Commissioners, Lambeth is a lame-duck so his vote, either way, would have carried no electorial down side. Also, it is well known that he has had "issues" with Superintendent Grier for some time. (Sam has more on this) So why did Lambeth keep voting "no" when his usual stance on school funding measures is in the affirmative? The altitude of Roan Mountain might evoke in me visions of political shenanigans that aren't really there but I believe Landreth's intentions might have been designed to keep the pot stirred.
If he had voted to release the funding a month ago, the howls of protest directed at the school board incumbents would have died down somewhat from the group of parents known as ABC of Guilford County.
By stone-walling the release of funds until after the primary, Lambeth added political fuel to the campaigns for school board challengers - most notably fellow Democrat and former Commissioner Jim Kirkpatrick who advocates more for "neighborhood schools". Kirkpatrick rose like a phoenix to become the challenger to incumbent and Choice Plan supporter Dot Kearns on the upcoming November ballot partly because of that position.
Also, by not taking action on the $2M - the Democratic majority on the Commissioners gained political cover and denied Republican candidates, especially High Point based at-large candidates, any political fodder that could have caused unaffilliated voters to choose a Republican in the primary.
Even a lame duck can influence an election if he plays his cards silently and well.
P.S. - We're not leaving for Roan until 11:00a
7:58:41 AM 
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