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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,

OK, so we in Oconee have around $45 million dollars laying around in the bank. (I sure hope it’s drawing good interest). Come on councilmen, do something. It’s the same from the county level to D.C., do nothing folks in Washington and do nothing folks on County Council. Come on, do something! We have needs. Throw some money at them and get them done so we can see the result of all this money just lying around.

Willie says,

According to Willie’s friends at the newspaper, this money issue at Oconee County government is the real thing. Willie wishes he had $45 laying around, forget about $45 million. And even though Willie likes to think of himself as an ambassador at large to Oconee and Pickens counties, he’ll be glad to lay claim to Walhalla, Fair Play or any other Oconee County town if it means he will be getting some of that tax money back. The pressure is building on this one. Let’s hope it gets cleared up soon.

Willie,

A while ago you printed a thank you pertaining to Residents at Park Place. Well, I want to applaud the Activities Director, Sherry Burgess; Maintenance, Sonny Cain; Nursing Supervisor, Debbie Carter and Administrator, Kyle Hicks. The facility couldn’t run without the wonderful, loving people. They have hearts of gold and always go the extra stop to make sure things get done.

Willie says:

These folks will appreciate your praise!

Willie,

Why would the mayor of West Union want to build a park at the old West Union School? The town doesn’t even maintain the flowers and shrubbery at the Welcome to West Union sign at Hwy. 11 and 28 entrances at the town limit sign.

Willie says:

Don’t know. Can’t say.

Willie,

If the Oconee County Council approves $100,000 that the mayor of West Union has requested to repair the roof at the old West Union School, I think they should do something about the furloughs that they have made selected employees take that have worked many years for Oconee County.

Willie says:

The county is rolling back its furlough policy. Employees will only have to take two furlough days and, if they have taken more, they will be paid for any they took over and above two.

Willie,

Since Oconee County has found unknown monies, shouldn’t they consider raises for their employees? They have not received a cost of living or merit raise in sometime. Why not reward the employees of Oconee County. They are the ones that do the work.

Willie says:

There are lots of ways to spend county money. A lot of people believe the best way would be to give the extra amount they seem to have back to the taxpayers.

Willie,

Our County Council must have their eyes on holding national office. Their mumbo jumbo statement, “We haven’t overtaxed, we’ve just underspent” is pure Washington speak if I’ve ever heard it. Now don’t get me wrong, you council folks, I’m not down on you, I’m just not up on you. I’m not complaining, I’m just not complimenting. And finally fellas, it’s not that the people who voted you in to fairly and honestly represent us are smart, it’s just that we’re not stupid. Get the drift guys?!

Willie says,

I think they do. The controversy over Oconee County Council’s handling of excess tax dollars continues. Willie’s thinking that if he was a member of that group, he’d do just about whatever was necessary to answer the critics’ questions and get the people’s confidence back. But don’t anybody start thinking about puttin’ Ol’ Willie up for election. He follows the lead of that slash and burn Union Gen. William Sherman, who told a bunch of admirers who wanted him to run for office: If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve.

Willie,

With South Carolina’s 11.5 percent state unemployment rate in an upward spiral and being one of the highest in the nation, how did our politicians and state officials fail to recognize the fed’s latest rules enabling them to tap into the expanded pool of stimulus money available to extend unemployment checks for up to an additional 20 weeks? These funds, which have been made available to every state to help unemployed residents whose benefits are running out, required state lawmakers to pass temporary changes to the economic index they use to trigger additional emergency benefits. So, our boys in office, including Roosevelt Halley, the outgoing state Employment Security Commission’s executive director, apparently fell asleep at the switch. Now we’re being told that time has run out for thousands of South Carolinians who will miss out on five months of additional benefits due to our leaders oversight. Is there a chance in hell our state officials can stop disagreeing over whether legislators can still pass a measure to get the 20-week benefits extension package passed before the end of the year, even if it requires a special session? Those of us who are affected by this “failure to communicate” need help, not excuses!

Willie says:

The word out of the state capital is that the lawmakers are going back to the table next week to fix the screw up. It is a close call and should not have happened when people’s livelihoods are at stake.

Willie,

This paper recently published a story in which the county discovered they had six million dollars in unallocated funds. Why has the council not discussed the possibility of using some of those funds in the budget and getting rid of this ridiculous furlough they put on county employees? If they truly want to help out the county, why not start with helping out the ones who work for you and show the loyalty towards them that you expect them to show towards you?

Willie says:

The furloughs have been cut back to two. Anyone who has taken more than two will be compensated. Cutting two furlough days will cost the county $90,000 or provide $90,000 more in salaries depending on your point of view.

Willie,

I am an employee at a local restaurant and a close friend of mine is employed at a local motel. She often refers business to us when things are busy. Last weekend she had a tenant come in and ask about our food. She told them it was really good. They said they were wondering because they had been told that if they dined there and complained about their food, the whole meal would be free. I feel like this is an extreme case of taking advantage of good service. We strive to please our customers because we want them to have the best quality and service available so they will come back. People who take advantage like this make it difficult because when we lose money like that, it reflects on other areas. To those of you who are honest, thank you for being that way because it seems that we are becoming few and far between. To those of you who are not, please believe that Karma will catch up with you eventually.

Willie says:

This kind of behavior is beyond disgusting to Willie! If I owned a restaurant and I served somebody some food that they objected to, they’d darn well better send it back to the kitchen after a few bites and I’d get them something else. They’d better not sit there and devour the whole meal and expect it to be free because they complain about it.

Comments contained in the Tell Willie column are not intended to reflect the views of management or staff of The Journal. They are the opinions of readers who have submitted Willie items. The Journal makes no guarantee of the accuracy of comments contained in Tell Willie. As for the answers, Ol’ Willie does his best to get it right.