Cream rises to the top.

So do other smelly, less desirable floaters

This morning I looked at the list of candidates for city office which is listed on the official Aberdeen website.

I was dumbstruck.

In the years since I arrived in Aberdeen from the wilds of Montana I’ve watched with first disbelief, followed by shock, then by horror as each election cycle came and went leaving the citizens of Aberdeen with little change and more corruption. This year I’m simply sick.

It isn’t enough that we must still contend with Cloyd Garth and Alonzo Sykes, who have been staples on the city board of aldermen for nearly twenty years and who have produced nothing but downward spiraling of poverty and decay. Now, I see that they are upping the ante.

Among the list of mayoral candidates is a man who claims to be a “disciple” of Reverend Sykes. I guess that means he takes orders from Sykes? Holey guacamole! My bible says we can know folks by the fruit they produce. Sykes keeps telling us he’s an apple tree, but the fruit he gives the City of Aberdeen is bitter lemons. Now, we have some fool offering to give us more of the same. Oh. I can’t wait.

The questionably reverend Mr. Sykes wants us to know that he’s running for the alderman’s seat in Ward 1. He also wants us to believe he actually lives in Ward 1 and not in his fancy house over in Ward 2. Time will tell on that one. Meanwhile, we’ll watch the old oily snake.

Ward 2’s list is, at least so far, not a bad one. We have Wilchie Clay and Curly Payne, both of whom were candidates in the marathon election of 2008 when Cloyd Garth stole the election by various and sundry hooks and crooks. (Those crooks - the ones who went door to door and “helped” voters know who to vote for or else, included one Tony Walker, convicted felon and city employee who fell under some questioning at the trial over election shenanigans during the last election cycle.) By the way, I’m expecting Cloyd to announce for either Mayor or Alderman in Ward 2 any minute now. Can't wait for that either.

Ward 3’s incumbent alderman David Ewing hasn’t yet announced his candidacy. He has, however, been so steeped in the culture of corruption at City Hall that he took it upon himself not long ago to warn two Aberdeen citizens to tell building inspector David Low to “keep his mouth shut.” I don’t know why Ewing felt the need to bring city business up in such a way across the counter of an convenience store, or why he didn’t simply bring Mr. Low into executive session to discuss his loose lips. Shrug. The bottom line is, David Ewing, who might have once been a good man, has become just as corrupt and worthless as Garth and Sykes.

Speaking of Garth, does anybody but me remember Adrian Garth? You may recall that he was once the department honcho at the electric company. He got caught trading sex for electricity. He was arrested for those activities and the city was forced to pay Garth’s victims handsomely for his ….what did they call it…oh! I know. EXTORTION! Many lawsuits were brought and settled over Garth’s mishandling of the electric department. Now old Adrian who, for reasons I cannot explain, was never prosecuted for his crimes, wants to be alderman for Ward 3.

Willie Cook, who sat for years as Ward 3’s aldermen until he was sent packing (literally - and in the middle of the night) last election when the powers that be finally reminded Willie A. that he must actually LIVE in the ward he represents. Now, to his credit, he’s running in Ward 5 where he resides. Congratulations, Mr. Cook. I don’t wish you luck…but good for you for finally doing the honest thing.

Lest you think there are no decent men running in Ward 3, allow me to say that I’m glad to see Eddie Buchannan running there. I’ve observed Mr. Buchannan’s activities on the local zoning board and know him to be a man of principle and integrity.

I don’t know much about the rest of the candidates. I’ll keep you posted as I find out. Meanwhile, consider the wise old saying; “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

Sleep well, Aberdeen.

Viki Eggers Mason

Other mug shots of note:

Cloyd's Brother

Cloyd's Wife

Sykes' Son