This use to be a crime.

Rarely do I find myself with a complete loss of words or will to write. But here I am two days of trying to understand what I just witnessed and remain at least somewhat respectful to those that have created, quite intentionally, my confusion. It starts with this statement presented before our Johnson County Board of County Commissioners yesterday June 11, 2015.

“Consider authorizing the reallocation and expenditure of fund balances (reserves) for Fiscal Year 2015 for the Park & Recreation General Fund in the amount of $2,500,000; for Public Health fund in the amount of $626,318; for County General Fund for a total of $3,422,882 to be used to pay off the King Louie capital lease for $2.9 million and to provide authority in the amount of $522,882 for the transfer of 6.0 Mental Health FTEs and related contractual expenditures to the Department of Technology and Innovation; and for the Mental Health fund, authorize the reclassification of $522,882 expenditures related to the transfer of the FTEs and related contractual expenditures.”

Even with a week to prepare for the potpourri discussion, this is how it played out.

In his princely moment of laying lying a sacrificial offering before the monarch, Commissioner Klika continued his babbling fool rendition. King Louie now endowed by The Parks and Wreck thanks the jester.

But look at what else occurred during this comical joust.

You may recall that two good citizens sued the County and these Commissioners in January 2014 for violating our cherished Home Rule Charter by appointing themselves as the Mental Health Commission. While the County blamed Mental Health financial woes on the then Mental Health Management and Commissioners, questions about the County’s Budgeting process surfaced.  “Nearly a million dollars” of County reserves were necessary to fund Mental Health and a District Judge ruled the Home Rule Charter as unenforceable.

You may also recall that in December 2014 at least another $800,000 of County General Fund reserves were provided to Mental Health “to pay the bills”. This time new software was blamed for delays in receipt of billing revenues. This I.T. problem (Technology and Innovation) was not dealt with in a timely manner?

Now 6 Mental Health FTEs (Full Time Employees) have a moral problem and will work more efficiently if $522,822 from General Fund reserves is given to Technology and Innovation and this equivalent amount removed from Mental Health Budget. Didn’t they just come up with additional funding and not transfer funds from one entity to another?

But who really cares in this new land of Oz.  All we find behind the curtain are those without a Heart, Brain or Courage. We’re not in Kansas any more.