Opinion By Samuel Strait – January 27, 2022 While the actions of the sitting members of the County's Board of Supervisors at a recent meeting could be described as nauseating at best, probably the most tone deaf comment during the proceedings was offered by District Four Supervisor, Gerry Hemmingsen. Following a rather serious review of the history of the defunct Tri Agency, Supervisor Valerie Starkey made the assessment that few people she had actually talked to about reviving Tri Agency were in favor of the prospect. Following her statement that she would not be able to support such a move on the Board's behalf, the cheer leading began. Very few would admit even now that the Tri Agency was a rousing success. Yet, for some reason known only to the three from District's One, Darrin Short, head cheer leader, District Three, Chris Howard, assistant head cheer leader, and District Four, Gerry Hemmingsen, just plain confused cheer leader find it sensible to resurrect the Tri Agency. Mountains of debt, bad loans and no visible economic success. The three have trotted out the airport, the sewer plant and the visitor's center, all projects that have a tenuous hold on the claim that they are in anyway an economic success. The airport project has not resulted in any increased economic activity, just a decline in ridership. Now the Border Coast Authority has another substantial maintenance headache to show for its "economic development". The sewer plant has become the "white elephant" of the City's "economic development" of debt. And last but not least, during the pandemic where no one was traveling abroad and 101 South was a mess, the County did receive additional tourist dollars. Only time will tell whether or not the visitor's center had anything to do with it. The quintessential statement of the meeting when visibly upset Gerry Hemmingsen, insisted that he "did in fact" listen to his constituents, then went on to display a clear lack of knowledge regarding the Tri Agency, his part as a member of the Board, and its history of failure, all packaged with his support for spending general fund money to revive it. The question now becomes, can a past member of the Board of what he clearly acknowledges as a failed Agency, be expected to give a believable glowing affirmation for something he, himself was a part of. And, can he reasonably expect to be believed when he says that he "listened to his constituents"? Talk about being out of the loop! While three of five Supervisors have no idea what a stupid idea spending good money after bad is all about. The Tri Agency was and will always be a bad idea. What was so inconceivable about the meeting time spent in discussion, and during several public warnings about this foolish notion of "economic disaster", was the utter disdain displayed by the three cheerleaders during the meeting towards any and all opposition. This has become a trademark attitude of the current Board. It isn't reserved only for opposition from the public for their actions, but the public in general. The current Board has completely discarded any notion that they represent the constituents that they serve and should heed their wishes. Instead, we have had the Board evolve into five petty dictators, who have chosen bureaucracy over the people they represent… A good start in reversing this attitude by the Board would be supporting the effort to repeal the City and County's 1% sales tax grab… Registered voters should seek out places to sign on to the petition for their rejection in June 2022 of this circus of clowns and their "slush fund". Say a loud "NO" to these taxes!