To the citizens of Adair County,
I’d like to take a moment to respond to the “untruths” and “twists of the truth” that the judge executive has made regarding myself and other members of the fiscal court.
First regarding the recommendation to terminating the deputy judge. It is absolutely correct that I recommended the judge executive to terminate his deputy judge from that position because of the hostile environment the deputy judge was creating in that office.
I never mentioned terminating this person from the executive assistant position as well, and the judge was very well aware of my stance on that. However, like usual he only tells “part” of the story, the part that benefits or makes him look the best or makes him out to be the victim.
In regards to setting a salary for the deputy judge, it is absolutely correct that we have not set a salary for the position and here is why. The deputy judge now holds two full time positions in his office, executive assistant and deputy judge. Both of these positions along with the finance officer are positions that the judge executive is permitted to appoint. On numerous occasions I myself have discussed with the judge executive to hire an executive assistant and then we can set a salary for the deputy judge and he has even told me that is what he needs/should to do but he never acts on it, but in turn wants to act like it is the magistrates’ fault that the salary has not been set.
In response to the judge executive’s “plotting” comment. Of course the magistrates talk. We work together; we should talk. I can only speak for myself but I talk to the judge executive as much as I talk to the other magistrates also. If he would be honest about it, he would agree to that statement. Any time that I have had a conversation with the judge executive and agreed with him on an issue my vote in the fiscal court meeting represented the agreement I had made with him.
My votes are based on what is best for Adair County. And in most cases my votes are based on information I have gathered from constituents in my district and across this county.
I’m not going to respond to his entire letter, it is not worth my time to write it and your time to read it.
Many people across our county contact me in support of the job I am doing. I can assure you this group of magistrates want nothing but the best things for Adair County. We want industry, offering high paying jobs for all Adair Countians; why would we not?
I can also assure you that we are very concerned about the tax dollars the citizens of Adair County pay in. I for one want to be a good steward of your hard-earned dollars and I most definitely do not want to take more than we need. After all, I’m a tax payer too.
In closing, please know that I am working very hard for the entire county. I continue to try and work with this judge executive even though I know that I will get drug through the mud in other newspapers and social media platforms, but I was elected to do a job and that is what I will continue to do. I am human and sometimes maybe I don’t react in the best way, but one can only take so much.
Best regards,
Chris Reeder
Magistrate District 4
270-634-0485
