As if there wasn't enough criticism of Scott County Registrar, Willie Mae Kilgore, you'd think she'd lay low and play it super clean the rest of the election . . . Apparently, however, she thinks the coast is clear and nobody is looking anymore.I had heard many a story in the last year about the obvious disregard of Willie Mae for her office and duties entailed therein. I have even seen some of the "evidence" that I believe indicates her involvement in the Gate City election scandal. However, today, I witnessed with my own two eyes a glimpse into the shenanigans of the Scott County Voter Registrar Office.
Around 11:30 a.m. today I decided to make a trip to the office to pick up additional voter applications we needed for canvassing. I arrived and entered the DMV, approaching the Registrar office. I could see from the entry that Tammy, the Assistant Registrar, was at her desk working on the computer.
As I opened the door, there was a slight commotion to the left, as Willie Mae Kilgore bustled around her desk and began to look "busy". That is when I noticed a huge display of jewelry, YES, jewelry, set up on the table in the middle of the office.
At this table was a woman who looked to be sixty years old, but dressed trendy like Brittney Spear, newsboy hat and all. She was holding out a gold necklace which was being viewed by another woman whom I am told was Betty Pendleton, Willie May Kilgore's sister and an ex employee of the Scott County Registrar's office. They all looked startled to see me, despite the fact we are standing in the middle of a public office.
Tammy, who is a very nice person by my perception, smiled and said, "May I help you." This broke my puzzlement over why the office had been converted into a flea market pawn shop. "Yes," I stated, "I need to pick up some more voter registration applications." Tammy helped me collect the forms while muffled whispers came from the other side of the room. I thanked her and left. I was told by another witness to these events that they quickly began packing the Jewelry Lady up and she was gone within 15 minutes of my observances.
I couldn't help but laugh that the place had more jewelry inside than QVC at midnight. I learned later that day in recounting my story to a woman who came by the office, they had once been accused of having such social gatherings in Willie Mae's office, even a massage therapist visit. These charges of course were solidly denied as partisan attacks on the office. However, today was apparently "Jewelry Party Day", and since they were in no way nonchalant about such, they knew they were doing something on county and state time that should not be occurring.
I guess it would have been different if it had been a Girl Scout selling cookies, a Lions' Club member selling brooms, or any other non-profit, civic group. However, this was a private person making a profit, and a county building is no place for such activity.
Furthermore, I think it is further evidence of how seriously the work in this office is taken by Willie Mae. I can't imagine having time for a party during the middle of my work day with seven weeks to an election. Especially with all the problems of the last local election, you'd think she'd be busy training her poll workers to prevent such problems from reoccurring. If she has that much free time, maybe the office should operate on a part time schedule and save the taxpayers thousands of dollars.
In the meantime, you might be able to get a nice 14K necklace in exchange for signing an Absentee Voter Application!
