Stewing over Campbell’s books

Stewing over Campbell’s books

Only in Campbell, Ohio. You couldn’t make this story up. Our fair city is in deep financial trouble. The state of Ohio takes notice, declares that we are in a state of fiscal emergency, and takes oversight of our financial activities.

We struggle under state supervision and somewhere end up with Sherman Miles as our finance director. He appears to have minimal financial experience, running the cash register at a local discount store at best. Our financial troubles continue and we stay under state supervision.

When our previous mayor sees no progress being made, he decides to replace Mr. Miles. When he tries to fire Mr. Miles, Ms. Rich and her supporters on the council, refuse to see him go. An embarrassing confrontation ensues, and Miles maintains his position. The mayor loses his position.

The new mayor and Ms. Rich’s council hold a gun to the citizens’ heads, pass an emergency levy, and we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Right? Well, no, the state says we have to reconcile our financial records before we can exit fiscal emergency. Lucky for us we have a finance director who’s been taking care of that. Right? Well, no, but we’re sure he can. Right? Well, no. Mr. Miles says that he knows nothing about reconciling any books.

It’s obvious to a blind man that we should replace Miles with someone who knows how to reconcile the books, you know, what a finance director does. Nope. Miles stays on salary. Miles distributes election petitions for Ms. Rich. Miles campaigns door-to-door for Ms. Rich. The books remain unreconciled. You can’t make this stuff up.

We’ll just have to live with it, I guess. There’s nothing we can do. Right? No, there’s an election coming up soon. When candidates come to your door, ask them if the books are reconciled, and if we’re still in a state of emergency. If you don’t like the answers, you know what to do.

Justin Pritchard, Campbell