County commissioner scolded by sheriff

Only a little more than a month prior, Boice had commended his fellow county commissioners and staff for a “new spirit of safety and team attitude.”

But at the meeting on Sept. 21 he spoke of dissention, and “a lot of things going on in Curry County.”

Boice said treasurer David Barnes has asked for six public officials to resign, and that even though he felt special that Barnes hadn’t asked him to resign, he must be stopped.

“We remain with a tyrannical person roaming the halls of the Curry County annex, threatening anyone who disagrees with him. It is way beyond a toxic work environment. It is scary for the people working here,” Boice said.

Commissioners Paasch and Herzog said they would not join Boice in asking for Barnes resignation or a vote of no confidence.

“As I said before you cannot have unity without humility. I do not believe that this is doing anything for unity right now,” Herzog said.

“You have made some accusations here today that Mr. Barnes has called people names. I would like to see it stop from everyone,” Commissioner Paasch said.

“I am going to reference one letter where you called Mr. Herzog weak. You called the sheriff a liar and you called me corrupt and you called David Barnes several other names. So if you want to have ethics and you want to have civility in this county – I think we need to worry about the logs in our own eyes before we worry about the twigs in someone else’s,” Paasch said.

Following Boice’s ethics presentation, Sheriff John Ward said that County Commissioner Boice needed to learn his place. He also said Commissioner Boice had attempted to discredit him.

“I’ve been doing this work for 31 years and I’m pretty popular in this county,” Sheriff Ward said.

“The relationships I’ve built are incredible. You discredit me,” he said.

Sheriff Ward read the email that Commissioner Paasch had referred to, saying it was an email that Boice had sent to him, then later denied.

In the email Boice reportedly accuses Sheriff Ward of “continued lies,” being “best friends” with Commissioner Paasch and an ally of Treasurer Barnes.

“You say stuff all the time and it is ridiculous. You attack people. You attack me and I’m not going to put up with it,” Ward said.

“You are one of three commissioners. You need to make a decision as three. But you keep going out on your own and trying to do things you have no authority to do,” he said.

After Sheriff Ward finished speaking Commisssioner Boice said, “I stand behind the letter.”

Commissioner Herzog said, “We are done.”

And the meeting continued.