Last week, Neosho County Commissioner David Bideau resigned from his position rather than tolerate accusations that in his role as a private attorney he had a conflict of interest with a corporation working to develop a wind farm there.
Despite his numerous attempts to prove there were no strings attached to Apex Clean Energy Inc., it seems there were those determined to hang him on rumors alone.
Rather than endure the harassment, Bideau submitted a letter of resignation read at Thursdays meeting in which he reiterated that he had never been retained by Apex but would step down in order to remove any cloud of suspicion.
Bideau also said that he supported the proposed Neosho Ridge wind farm and thought it would be a boon to the county.
Neosho County commissioners said they were shocked by Bideaus resignation and bemoaned what it would mean to the governing body.
If Mr. Bideau is cut from the same cloth as his late brother, Rep. Ed Bideau, we sympathize with their loss. Rep. Bideau, also an attorney, was a model of decorum and responsibility.
Though weary from a long week in Topeka, hed frequently detour off the highway on his way home to come by the Register on Friday afternoons to bring us up to speed on legislative affairs.
No question was too small for Rep. Bideau, who took avuncular delight in explaining the tasks at hand. Rep. Bideau made that special effort because he held great respect for the responsibilities of elective office, and because he loved Kansas.
Sadly, Rep. Bideaus second stint in office he had previously served two terms in the 1980s lasted less than a year due to his sudden death in 2013 at age 63.
NONE OF THIS was lost on fellow commissioners Paul Westhoff and David Orr.
I felt that nobody worked harder at this job than David Bideau, said Westhoff at Thursdays meeting. Whether you agreed or disagreed with him did not matter because his heart was in the right place when it came to this county.
Orr observed, This is a major loss. I felt that he was our library of information for the county. He was our go-to when we didnt understand something. …I lost an Encyclopedia Britannica.
EVERY TOWN has such founts of institutional knowledge. At the Register, longtime reporter Bob Johnson is our encyclopedia. Look around and youll see similar resources at your church, school, historical society, city and county meetings.
These people have a wealth of knowledge that comes from years of investing themselves in their communities and working toward common goals.
Neosho Countys experience is a reminder for us to appreciate the gifts these servants bring to the table and to be wary of the dangers of indulging unfounded rumors. Those who serve their communities faithfully deserve better.
Susan Lynn
