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Note: Comments posted at the bottom of this page are not submissions for the print version of Tell Willie and are for online readers to discuss today's Tell Willie column in real time. To submit a question or comment to Willie for the print newspaper click here or call 864-882-0903 and leave Willie a message. He checks his voice mail daily.

Willie says:

To the reader who wrote to tell the tragic story of Angela — a woman taken advantage of by a man who married her just to become a citizen, abused her and got all her money when she died — it’s impossible for Willie to print such a long submission. Angela has my prayers … the system failed her and it’s too late to help her now. May she rest in peace.

Willie,

To my neighbors on Dalton Road, please quit watering your lawns. We are in a drought. Water a vegetable garden that will feed your family, not the grass or flowers. When we run out of water, you will be the first to cry and whine about no water. Wake up, we need to conserve our water.

Willie says:

Now that Oconee and Pickens have been elevated to the highest drought status there is — EXTREME — we all had better get our priorities straight, not just the folks on Dalton Road. Every good citizen needs to start doing everything they can to reduce the amount of water they use. Read Greg Oliver’s article on yesterday’s (July 2) front page of the Daily Journal/Messenger. How many of those tips can your family do? Parents can teach their kids great lessons now about water conservation at home. We’re all in this together.

Willie,

My condolences to the trooper who was just killed. With all of that guy’s background, how was he ever let out of jail to kill this trooper? I think it’s a shame that troopers are fired for doing their job, but that’s the only comment I got, Willie, but I think it’s a shame to have someone out on the streets like him. Our system needs to be fixed and fixed right away.

Willie says:

I think all of our police, fire and EMS services do a wonderful job and I for one appreciate them.

Willie,

I notice you have arrest record in the paper and marriage licenses. I would like to see the divorce records in the paper.

Willie says:

Willie’s source at the Oconee County Courthouse explained to me that even though divorces are public info and anyone can go there and look’ em up, they don’t keep them as a separate list like they do Marriage Lists. That list is sent to us once a week to publish. As far as Willie’s concerned, I’m just as happy not seeing divorce records in the paper.

Willie,

Andrew Moore wrote a very good article in today’s Daily Journal, June 18, regarding “fatalities rising on waters as many fail to wear life jackets.” I found it extremely interesting that not one of the pictured officials working the lakes of the Upstate was wearing one. Not a very good example, is it?

Willie says:

You are right, and boy did the readers point it out. Read on!!!

Willie,

On the June 18, on the Daily Journal’s front page, there is an article about increasing fatalities on our lakes and the use of life jackets. There is a photograph that accompanies this article showing six officials working the lakes of the Upstate during a drowning case. Willie, please note, none of them are wearing life jackets.

AND …

Willie,

There is an article in the Wednesday, June18 edition “boaters and swimmers dies for a good time” with the picture of the officials that are on a lake in the Upstate during an April drowning and lo and behold, they are not wearing life jackets. Do they feel they are above and beyond wearing them?

Willie says:

Did you see the paper the next day? The picture caused so much hullabaloo, they had to run an explanation from Emergency Services Director Rodney Burdette.

Willie,

When do you decide to put articles that we send in? I have been waiting for six days for one to be in and I haven’t seen it yet.

Willie says:

I try to get them in as fast as possible. Sometimes I need to ask the great reporters at the paper for some help researching some of the answers, which takes me a little longer to respond. Currently I am running about a week behind. But keep ’em coming and I’ll work as fast as I can to find the answers.

Willie,

I’m wondering if some of your readers could help me out on how I can go about in getting a response from our congressmen and representatives in Washington. Over the past year or so, I have called two or three times on questions I have had. I don’t get a call back or a response. They talk about keeping in touch with their constituents, but I haven’t seen it.

Willie says:

Gresham Barrett, (202) 225-5301. His aide is Brecke Lathem, (202) 226-1124. The Web site for sending messages is www.house.gov/formbarrett/writebarrett.htm

Lindsey Graham, (202) 224-5972, Upstate office (8640 250-1417

Web site for e-mail —

http://lgraham.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.EmailSenatorGraham

Willie,

I understand that, after the County’s Information Technology Director abruptly left, County Administrator Dale Surrett decided to hire an outside consulting firm to “secure” the county as it relates to technology. I can understand that the county administrator might want to hire someone to secure the county’s infrastructure in light of the IT Director’s departure, but the information tech director left over a month ago, and I understand that the taxpayers are still paying for the services of this consulting firm. This raises several questions for the taxpayers of Oconee County:

1. Surely the county’s assets could have been safeguarded by now. What possible reason could there be to continue to pay for these consulting services?

2. Why has the county administrator not even begun the process of hiring a replacement IT Director?

3. This consulting firm is from the lower part of the state. The taxpayers of Oconee County are paying mileage and time to and from their home office. Why choose a company so far away? Why was a local firm not chosen?

4. Was this project competitively quoted out? Were local consulting firms given the opportunity to provide a quote? I am told that the county administrator is friends with executives from this consulting firm. Could this be the reason no one else was allowed to submit a quote?

5. Is my elected council member, as well as yours, aware of what the administrator has obligated the taxpayers to pay?

Willie, can you get some answers for the taxpayers of Oconee County?

Willie says:

The paper’s editorial department told Willie: “Back on June 5, the paper carried a story that answers some of your concerns. The company, VC3, has been doing work for Oconee since Surrett

dismissed the IT Director earlier this year. The administrator underscored

the need of quickly having IT services under the supervision of a firm he

had utilized in other jurisdictions and already was vetted through the

state’s procurement process. VC3 is the preferred strategic technology

partner for the Municipal Association of South Carolina and its sister

organization in North Carolina. Surrett said he is confident that the

decision he made would withstand ethical scrutiny and added that he has the

backing of Oconee County Council, which did transfer $100,000 to Surrett’s

care for professional IT services as needed. Surrett said companies other

than VC3 could be contracted to provide those services, and urged companies to contact the county’s procurement office and provide information on what kind of work they’ve done and how many people they have working for the company. He also encouraged businesses to compete in the state bidding process because the county is allowed through procurement ordinances to use people on state contracts.” Willie agrees that any job that can be done locally by local taxpayers should be bid out and they be given preference as the legislature intended.

Willie,

It is amazing that after attending many meetings with Ray and Donine Billingsley about the old Seneca Baptist Church, it will be sold. They professed wanting to do something great for Seneca, but needed the church rezoned to Neighborhood Commercial. They said of course they wouldn’t flip it. Direct quote, ‘Trust us.” Eric Rothell was the spokesperson for the Seneca Baptist Church and agreed that the Billingsley’s would do a great job. Rothell said the church would not even think of asking for deed restrictions before selling. City Council, of course, agreed without asking once what would be done with the church. Now it’s been sold. My question is to whom? There are many worried homeowners who would like to know the answer.

Willie says,

It pays to read the Daily Journal! On June 13 the paper reported that the

church building on Fairplay Street had been sold to La Luz Del Mundo Church, a Hispanic evangelical church in Walhalla.