Was it absolutely necessary for a divided Oak Hill City Commission to do away with its entire police force Monday night because of the political divisions with embattled Police Chief Diane Young, whose past admitted cocaine and marijuana drug use has dogged her since her appointment as top cop 17 months ago?
How long will the doivoce last before Oak Hill has autonomy with policing again? Here's my bold prediction: Not long. Even an even bolder prediction: The return of Diane Young with a whole new slate of officers.
Why do I say so? Think about it. When was the last time Young left a meeting
without a fight to keep her job?
When Commissioner Doug Gibson's initial request Monday night to "terminate" the police chief led to the obvious 2-2 loyalty split with Gibson and Mayor Mary Lee Cook wanting her gone and Commissioner Kathy Bittle and Linda Hyatt wanting her to remain, the demise of the Oak Hill police force was proffered by none other than Commissioner Ron Engele, whose eight months on board have been wracked by controversy.
Gibson and Cook caved under Engele's compromise. Anything to get rid of Young or so Engele's unwitting partners in the jettisoning of the OHPD were led to believe.
Engele was masterful as the Pied Piper in escorting the rats to the river to drown. Think about this: Why was Bittle so eager to jump on Engele's suggestion only to vote against it? Hyatt, the vice mayor, was her usual quiet self.
And how wise was it to go this route? Even City Attorney Scott Simpson cautioned the commissioners about going wit the Volusia County Sheriff's Office without a contract. But then again, Simpson cleverly pointed out that eliminating the police personnel from the budget was far more palatable than outright firings.
I smell a rat! A big rat in Ron Engele. In her obsessed desire to knock Young from her perch, the 84-year-old Cook, whose personl feud with Young reached a climax with the discovery of pot plants on her property -- reported to the Sheriff's Office in secrecy no less by the chief who stood on a ladder to take pictures -- that proved to be the final straw.
For Gibson, who put on the record his littany of corruption against Young, if taking her out meant collateral damage to the other officers, so be it.
Just think: A week ago, Engele was calling for a re-writing of the city charter to give Young direct authority to hire and fire, something only the commission could do.
And now the baby goes with the bathwater?
No way! I can just see it now, a select group of Oak Hill residents start showing up at meetings -- who happen to be Diane supporters -- longing for their sovereign police force.
After all, without a contract with the Sheriff, the whispers of longing for the return of the Oak Hill brand will grow louder.
Young's two cheerleaders -- Bittle and Hyatt -- will be chomping at the bit. And Engele will prove to be the swing vote yet again.
Editor's Note: Sera and I are exhausted. We'll have complete video coverage later today as well as a breakdown of what happened...