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It worked once before, why not try it a second time. Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Republican former Army Green Beret B.T. Collins as leader of the California Conservation Corps and later as his chief of staff. The late Collins was an inspirational speaker, drawing a packed Veterans Hall here in Placerville at the invitation of the Mountain Democrat in 1986 to help raise funds for the California Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
In 1992 the man who lost a leg and an arm to a grenade attack in Vietnam won election to the state Assembly. Then died in 1993.
Now Gov. Brown, perhaps inspired by the success of his appointment of a former Army captain, has now appointed a recently retired Marine general to take over the troubled Parks Department.
Maj. Gen. Anthony L. Jackson was sworn in Friday as director of the California State Parks.
Gov. Brown got one heck of a recruitment for this job. Jackson was commanding general of the Marine Corps Installations West. In other words, he was responsible for Marine Corps installations in the southwestern U.S., which include 13,000 civilian employees and 60,000 marines and sailors.
If anyone can bring order to a Parks Department that was plagued by the scandal of secret vacation time buyouts and $54 million in reserve funds when parks were being closed down, if anyone can bring order to this department it is a Marine officer.
Congratulations to Gov. Brown and to Gen. Anthony Jackson. Brown made an outstanding appointment. Let’s hope the general makes a smooth transition to civilian life while bringing fiscal and administrative order to the Parks Department. The challenge remains to work with local park supporters to help keep the parks in operation.
Outstanding appointment. I have attended several meetings, ceremonies,and banquets where General Jackson has been in attendance. And you can’t help but notice that he is greeted by most as one would greet a long lost friend. The Department he has been appointed to oversee, like former Congressman Doolittle’s Office, has been plagued by scandal and if anyone can clean it up, its General Jackson. Additional, some undercurrent about this Mountain Democrat opinion letter bugs me and I just can’t but my finger on it. It’s so out of form for the Democrat to report on one of the many state appoints. It can’t be General Jacksons salary will be over 100k per year because that’s comparably to what the Mountain Democrats editor’s wife makes as our County Treasurer; it can’t be that General Jackson is a black man; it can’t be that Jerry Brown did something good for the people of California because we all know he’s a Democrat. So with the Mountain Democrats history of fanning the flames of political unrest within our community, what is it in this letter I’ve missed.
Astute observations, Richard.
About the Treasurer/Tax Collector’s salary: several years ago it came in at ~ 134k pa.
I want to be a Treasurer/Tax Collector. I’m good at sums.
What you’ve missed, Richard is the opportunity to reevaluate your “take” on the Mountain Democrat. Consider just for a moment that your “take” needs a redo. Reality is more complicated. More work is required on your part, Richard. Besides, isn’t it the Tepublicans who are black/white, good/evil zero shades of grey?
Veerkamp, yes, ” reality is more complicated,” like Benghazi.
Blind biases and stereotypical predispositions are always the issue of the beholder. Occasionally, a ray of sunshine passes into even the gloomiest of views….
I miss Pat Lakey. Her editing ALWAYS enhanced my submissions. (The print edition of this article also shows Major Jackson’s appointment to have been “Oustanding”.)
Evelyn, the departure of Pat Lakey is a mystery. Was with the paper for a couple of decades, yet here one day and gone the next. Not a word as to why. Anyone know?
James, I had always wanted to say ‘hello’ to Pat after having corresponded with her about some of my LTEs. She was a marvel when it came to making titles interesting. I went in one day AND SHE WAS GONE. Mum was the word about her departure. I felt like I had asked to be allowed to audit the paper’s books! If anyone out there in newspaper land has contact with Pat, please tell her she is missed.
Evelyn, it was right after the paper made the hard turn into Tea/Republican crazy land. Maybe she was no longer a fit, or she did something in which there was no forgiveness? Where ever she is, I hope she landed right side up.