The Fix Is In — PWC Calls THIS A Citizen Panel?

By Riley, Sunday, October 28, 2012

The WashPo has published a leaked list of the names of those appointed to Prince William County’s citizens panel that was selected to help in aiding the county choose a new chief of police. Hold on to your cowl, Batman…

The panel’s membership has not been publicly named. According to a county official familiar with the search, it consists of [County Executive Melissa] Peacor, two deputy county executives, Fire and Rescue Chief Kevin McGee, Commonwealth’s Attorney Paul B. Ebert (D), Sheriff Glendell Hill (R) and county residents Donna Widawski and W. Ralph Basham. The official who provided the list requested anonymity because supervisors have not made it public.

Seriously? No wonder 7 out of the 8 supervisors opposed making public the identities of those serving on this panel — only two of the people on it are not already otherwise on the county payroll and one of those is the subject of widespread speculation pertaining to political payback.

But it gets even better.

An eight-member panel — which [Woodbridge Supervisor Frank] Principi said was nominated by Peacor and approved by the board

So, I count 8 people INCLUDING Peacor, so she nominated herself and two of her deputies to serve on this panel?

That panel will narrow the candidate pool for Peacor, who will then recommend at least three names to the board. The board has the final say.

Peacor is on the panel that will narrow the pool for Peacor who will then be the gatekeeper to the BOCS. No, the fix isn’t in on this….

I would be interested in seeing the minutes from when the Board approved this panel. Surely there had to have been some public vote on this in order to comply with Virginia’s Open Meetings Law requirements. They certainly could not have done this in executive session because if they had then the legality of this entire process could be called into question. What a mess that would create…

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