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A quick look at Equality/Diversity in Adair County

By Ed Waggener

When Judge-elect Judy Vance is sworn into office today, Adair County will be more gender equal than ever. Here's a look a quick scan of that picture - including racial diversity in leadership positions for several major institutions in Adair County:
  • Local Judiciary: One white female, Circuit Judge Judy Vance; One white male, District Judge Mike Loy (Two Adair Countians, and when Gail Williams is sworn in as Commonwealth Attorney the first of January, a third Adair County resident will hold a key job in the local judiciary.

  • County Government
    Three white women, all Republicans- County Judge Executive Ann Melton, County Attorney Jennifer Hutchison-Corbin, County Clerk Sheila Blair; White Men: Jailer Rick Wilson, Sheriff Harrison Moss, Circuit Clerk Dennis Loy, and PVA Willie Matt Feese, Jr, all Democrats, and County Surveyor Mike McKinney, Republican. Five white males. Fiscal Court: Harold Burton, (Republican, District 1); Daryl Flatt (Republican, District 2); Sammy Baker, Junior (Republican, District 3); Perry Reeder (Republican, District 4); Billy Dean Coffey (Republican, District 5); Joe Rogers (Democrat, District 6), and Billy Rowe, (Republican, District 7). All are white. All male.

  • Columbia City Council incoming: Four men: Craig Dean, Robert Flowers, Dr, Ron Rogers, and Charles Grimsley; all white. Two women: Linda Waggener and June Parson. Both white

  • Columbia Police Force: 11 White Males

  • Incoming School Board: Mike Harris (Div. 5); Floyd Burton (Div. 5) - Three white men; One African-American woman, Quinn "Tweeta" Lasley (Div. 2); one vacancy, Division 1, formerly held by white female.

  • Principals, Adair County School District: Three White Females - Patty Jones, Colonel William Casey Elementary; Jane Branham, John Adair Intermediate School; and Alma Rich, Adair County Middle School. Two White Males: Troy Young, Adair County High School; and Robbie Harmon, Adair County Elementary School.

  • CAUD Water Board: All White, All Male. Rudy Higginbotham, Robert Flowers, Tim Baker, Barry Stotts,

  • Adair County Hospital Board of Trustees: Five white males: Craig Pyles, Richard Grant, Bruce White, Brad Keltner, and Neal Gold. The CEO of Westlake Regional Hospital, David Rasmussen is white, male.

  • Local Media Owners/CEOS: Two Radio Stations- Both White Males: Mike Harris, Shoreline with the WAVE; Terry Forcht, WAIN. Print Magazine General Circulation Media with Opinions - One White Male, Ralph Waggener It's Just for a Smile News: White Male, Ralph Waggener. Two Newspapers, Two white Females Sharon Burton, Adair County Community Voice; Donna Hancock, Adair Progress. ColumbiaMagazine.com: White female, Linda Waggener.

  • Local Bank CEO/Managers: Two white females: Ann Martin, First and Farmers National Bank; Lee Ann Collins, Community Trust Bank. Two white males: Chris Quinn, Bank of Columbia; Ron Wise, United Citizens Bank.

  • Republican & Democratic Party Chairs: Both white, both male. Billy Curry has been Chair of the Republican Party for 30 years. Young Ben Loy, Democratic Chair has held the job for about four years.

  • The Adair County Clergy: Almost solidly white male
In the end, having the very best people in leadership is the most important thing; if that means gender and racial equity, so much the better.

Adair County seems to be doing very well.

Ironies abound: Most of the female elected officials in the highest posts are Republicans, although a popular notion is that Democrats are the party which champions women's advancement the most. And there is the irony of racial acceptance. A Kentucky governor, a Democrat, inherited a parallel situation to his presidential counterpart, a Democrat. And both performed at parallel levels of extraordinary competence. Kentuckians overwhelming back their Governor, but by the same margin went against their President. One might think there was a shade of difference, which brought on the outcome.

But if it were racial, what explains the winning margin of minority candidate, Quinn Lasley, and the near win of Craig Lasley for the six member City Council?

Just something to think about, when we ponder who we are and what we believe, and what actions we take.

- Ed Waggener




This story was posted on 2012-11-30 09:44:29
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