Because of the relevance of the saga of the fallen former Hampshire County Delegate Jerry Mezzatesta to the Eastern Mineral County and the Potomac Highlands, I have re-posted the following from my post at the Think Tank this morning:
Well, hopefully not.Former Delegate Jerry Mezzatesta is trying to get old job back at Hampshire County Schools. The Daily Mail reports:
Bailey urged Taylor to uphold the grievance board's decision, while Bruce asked that Mezzatesta be allowed back in his previous position and awarded back pay, Bailey said.Back pay? Does this fellow have ANY shame?
Aside from diverting $35,000 in education grants to a local fire department, the Mezz and his wife pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of destroying and altering legislative computer records in Kanahwa County in 2004.
And of course, the Mezz wanted the taxpayers to foot the bill for his trip to the magistrate as Eric Eyre reported back in December of 2004.
Former House Education Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta wants the state to reimburse him nearly $1,000 for a three-day visit to Charleston during which he cleaned out his office, said goodbye to friends, and pleaded no contest to a criminal charge in Kanawha County Magistrate Court.Mezzatesta has requested "duty day" pay for this past Saturday, Sunday and Monday at $150 each day. He also put in for $115 in expenses for each of those days, and $192 for mileage to and from his home in Romney.If you don't recall or weren't around for the fall of the mighty former House Education Chairman (who was also former Speaker Bob Kiss' right hand man), you can read about it here in this award winning series by Eric Eyre at the Charleston Gazette.
$192 in mileage? Where did he drive? I spent $240 traveling to and from Atlanta, Georgia during a gas price spike. Once a liar, always a liar.
ReplyDeleteThank goodness we have an honest and hard working delegate like Ruth Rowan representing this district now.
Why do we have to keep downing the man?? He did great things for our county...For those of you who continue to bash on him..then you really dont know him..Yes we do have another great delagate in office now. I had Mrs. Rowan in second grade and then Mr. Mezzatesta in high school, and both had great qualitys. Dont look at his mileage..look at the goverment officals that have a 30k goverment issued car to cruise in and see them at resturants with their families. Then you see them in the company car at WalMart shopping using tax payer money. Don't look at all of the negative things that you can find in Mr. Mezzatesta. He did not embezzle that money he used it for other places in the community it did not profit him in any way shape or form. He used it to better the community. He was found not guilty so let sleeping dogs lie and leave him out of it.
ReplyDeleteAmen to Kim.
ReplyDeleteMezz brought home the bacon for Hampshire Co and surrounding areas for years and years, and no one has ever accused him of putting anything other than his salary into his own pocket.
Yes, they say his abrupt, assertive, even aggresive manner could feel abrasive at times--he's not known for his soft-speaking.
But when he spoke up, he spoke up for his constituents and our needs.
He rubbed some folks the wrong way, and his independence sometimes burnt bridges ohers might have preseved.
But as the saying goes, you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs--and the county dined well for more than a decade with Mezz as our chef and waiter.
--Polestar