When Allen County commissioners decided on a 2-0 vote Tuesday to give $180,000 to G&W Foods to support construction of a new grocery store on the site of the old hospital, Commissioner Jim Talkington did not vote.
Instead, the decision fell to commissioners Tom Williams and Jerry Daniels.
We find that more than a little annoying.
Talkington, when asked point blank by the Register, would not give a reason for recusing himself, other than to say he had a conflict.
At every other level of government, when officials recuse themselves from participation in decision-making they say why.
The issue was not tiddlywinks. In question was whether Allen County would make a commitment — in some measure set a precedent — by funneling $180,000 from its capital outlay fund to a private company to help it fill its budget gap.
G&W Foods took bids on its new store, with the result being one that exceeded expectations by $500,000. Iola Industries joined in with $170,000 and Iola agreed to extend utilities at no cost.
Some taxpayers will applaud what commissioners did, other will disagree. That is as it should be in a democracy.
But if a third of Allen Countians don’t know how their representative feels about the issue, then how can they depend on him to be their voice on the governing body?
In the lion’s share of things that have come before the commissioners Talkington has been relatively forthcoming with opinions.
With an issue as important as this, he should have been willing to come clean.
Transparency outweighs personal concerns.
— Bob Johnson
