It has been clear for a while now; the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors tolerate only a room with a few cinema props stationed within the Board’s chambers. Not anything for the Board to acknowledge, or turn up supervisors’ respective hearing aids, pay the slightest bit of attention, or focus anything resembling interest in anything the local cinema props might wish to offer.Too busy looking for affirmation from the respective members and the unelected to have the slightest concern for the window dressing in the board Chamber, is it no wonder the Board of Supervisors fails to attract more than a meager handful of attendees at each of the twice-monthly meetings? It is the few who grace the chamber, in hopes the current members might remember it is the five thousand or so in each district who constitute the citizenry which they, Supervisors Short, Wilson, Howard, Starkey, and Chair Borges, have been elected to represent. Not each other, not the un-elected of County government, not even themselves.The Board has failed miserably to either recognize or represent its constituents. Sadly, audience members are simply props on the political stage of a not-so-Shakespearian play.#placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');The Del Norte County Board of Supervisors show clear signs of treating the local residents with such disdain in the board chambers, is it no wonder few come more than once? The adoration expressed within the board members themselves and to the favored un-elected is almost palpable, simmering in the air as each member looks to other members for self-affirmation after each flowering of their inconsequential word salads. I can see the next Consent Agenda item on the horizon: A brightly illuminated applause sign below the County seal.The word obsequious comes to mind. The little boy brings a shiny apple to his teacher and she pats him on the head like an obedient pet. That’s the Board of Supervisors. Pathetic!At the most recent board meeting our illustrious mostly silent, Calvin Coolidge-esk Board Chair Borges was too busy after a rigorous two-hour sweat-inducing session to find time for a public comment from one of the few attendees. Clearly a five-minute recess was absolutely paramount for the health of the Board members rather than endure another “public comment.” While the event passed largely unnoticed, Chair Borges invoked “Public Comments are closed” to a surprised member of the public as he moved to the podium. Borges imprudently uttered, “You, (meaning the public member), have to move faster” when the public member dared requesting a comment. Such a prince, Chair Borges, a pigeon-proof statue in the public square is assured.Yet, it is somewhat disturbing behavior out of our elected, who seemed oblivious to the tone deafness of Borges’ action, must scurry to the bathroom after all. Chair Borges has much to learn about his unacceptable behavior during Board meetings. He is not omnipotent. He is there to accept civilized discourse from the public in whatever manner the public choose to present, not interrupt or dispute positioning, listen, and pay attention. The public is there in the room not as showroom dummies, but to render thoughtful commentary meant to direct the board along lines which most benefit the majority of their respective citizens. If the Board of Supervisors continues to choose to ignore reasonable and thoughtful public comment which show they are not allowing a voice to the public, this is censorship and unacceptable. This is a defect of local government which desperately needs correction. The public is not a prop to fill seats in the Board Chambers! No matter how few, the public is worthy of attention and refuse to be treated as an unnecessary invisible appendage to “proper” government proceedings. After all, this package of Supervisors Wilson, Short, Howard, Starkey, And Borges, haven’t exactly covered themselves in glory for some time.This Board and the un-elected need to get off their self-adulation and aggrandizement and focus on what is important for the entire community, not what the individual board members think is necessary or even the un-elected’s opinion. In case the Board didn’t get the memo, government waste and corruption are in the news. The Del Norte County government is no exception to being wasteful, corrupt, and a burden to the local population! So, GET OFF YOUR LAZY POSTERIORS AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! WE, THE PUBLIC ARE WATCHING! googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });