Hello, I’m Larry.
Today our publisher, Larry Chesney, made public comment at the Washoe County Commissioners Meeting. Here is a transcript of his public comment:
Subject: Agenda item 18, Comprehensive Employee Support Plan
Good morning; I am Larry Chesney Publisher of Picon Press Media LLC.
Picon Press’s founding principles are to report to the public unedited events based on Public Record, not on innuendo or rumor.
It appears the purpose of Agenda Item 18 (Comprehensive Employee Support Plan) Is to expect the tax payers of Washoe County to pay, to defend/Support, the malfeasance of Washoe County Employees That cannot use the normal channel services of the district attorney or the inhouse public relations organization.
Washoe County employees enjoy several benefits related to Mental Health matters. The Workplace violence committee is also available.
Public scrutiny comes with being a public official. Let’s face it, the vast majority of all county employees will never be publicly scrutinized. The target for this agenda item is public records requests and the scrutiny that comes with them. The named personnel, in 99% of the media accounts, are leadership roles. Policy makers, and the courts have long recognized these employees are absolutely subject to public scrutiny. Criticism and comment. That is why they are paid at high levels, to compensate them for high level decisions and the scrutiny that comes with it.
I find it reprehensible That you the elected representatives of the tax payers of Washoe County would even consider such an egregious proposal. This is nothing more than a slap in the face to the Tax payer.
I furthermore find this, an implied threat to the First Amendment of the constitution of the United States. Like it or not Picon Press and the News Media is here to stay. We shall be around long after you politicians are gone. If you don’t want your, or your employee’s mismanagement and malfeasance to be reported on, I suggest you think twice of your actions in the future. Otherwise “Game On”.
Watch the whole meeting by clicking here.
Some comments: Right now the public’s trust in journalism is at an all-time low. We understand this and are taking a different approach to journalism. Many outlets and journalists take ethics pledges and swear away bias, but the truth is, we are human - we have biases whether we like it or not. We will share our opinions, but back them up with evidence. It isn’t about going after some people, and helping others; it’s about holding all of our elected and appointed officials, and our civil servants, accountable to the People of this community.
We aren’t writing things about your neighbors that are upstanding citizens. We aren’t writing about pastors that lead huge volunteering drives in our community.
We are writing about a County Commissioner’s wife who got a lucrative County contract as the only applicant. We are writing about the candidate who changed her party and name right before the deadline for the 2022 election. We are writing about these things because we believe in this community. We believe in accountability, transparency, and the People of this community.