I have to say that I am surprised
and deeply disappointed to learn that Clerk Kenny Brown has established a video
feed from his offices, which is nothing less than surveillance of Boone County
citizens.
Republicans like Senator Rand
Paul are opposing civilian surveillance programs in Washington and State
Representative Diane St. Onge is introducing legislation in Frankfort to
prevent civilian surveillance by the government, I am shocked and disappointed that
an elected county official would use cameras purchased for legitimate security purposes
to broadcast who is in line in the clerk’s office. I have
to wonder why he waited until the week after he appeared in the media standing
alongside an outspoken advocate of civil liberties like Judge Andrew Napolitano
to announce this intrusive violation of personal privacy.
This is without question an unnecessary
surveillance of citizens seeking to do business with the county and provides
those with illegal or inappropriate intentions an opportunity to know who may
be away from their home or place of business.
The actions of the incumbent
represent those of an individual who continues to demonstrate the lack of
leadership skills to manage this office.
The reality is that by the time someone leaves their home to drive from
Union to Florence or from Hebron to Burlington the video is absolutely useless
from a customer service perspective. Even the clerk admitted it is not live
time. If not for pure political theater,
why would any elected official expand or implement civilian surveillance in a Clerk’s
office?
The camera should be pointed
at his desk. This clerk has managed to
come into the office every day of ONE week since October 3rd. One week!
And that was last week, still only managing a 29 hour work week. This, after I started going public with his
horrible work ethic. He’s such an
extreme right wing clerk, and is so concerned about the waste of taxpayers
money, yet he’s taking our tax dollars as his salary and managed to come in to
the office approximately 100 hours total during October and November. As of 11:30 a.m. this morning, he is still
not in the office.
An objective analysis of his
work history will show Kenny Brown never managed anything except a bar before
becoming clerk. And he got that job only because he was
friends with the restaurant manager. Somehow
he thinks using video cameras is effective management. As Clerk, I will pull the plug on that system
instantly. I do not agree with surveillance of Boone County citizens.
