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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > April > 21 > Entry
Furmon the maverick?
Butler County Commissioner Charles Furmon has emerged in recent months as a voice of opposition on the board.
This is perhaps an odd role for the former lawman, who has been a commission fixture for more than 14 years and is so soft-spoken he is sometimes barely audible.
But the only two recent issues that have pitted commissioners against each other - altogether, disagreement on the dais is still rare - Furmon has been the odd man out.
First there was the ousting of former Emergency Management Agency Director William Turner.
Furmon sat on the EMA board and voted along with the board in a vote of confidence for Turner. This ran directly against commissioners Donald Dixon and Gregory Jolivette, who wanted Turner gone.
Furmon lost this endeavor. Turner is gone.
More recently, Furmon was the only commissioner to oppose a controversial Children Services policy that would give adoption preference to traditional married couples over single parents or same sex couples.
Said Furmon:
“I don’t think (the policy) was proper. We’re advertising like everything in order to find (adoptive parents). I think to try to exclude a certain group is dead wrong.”
He won this argument, after the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office ruled the policy was not allowed under state law.
This latter argument was also more high profile, with state lawmakers, powerful nonprofits and hundreds of signatures on citizen petitions involved.
Furmon just won re-election, so it’s pretty early to be campaigning.
So the question: Why do you think Furmon has become a gadfly? What do you think about the stances he has taken?
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: County Commission
Comments
By Charilie
April 21, 2009 1:33 PM | Link to this
Another moniker for Furmon could be “The Voice of Reason”. Rightly stated Furmon is a former lawman and has several years on the EMA Board, thus I would dare say he had a clear and principled opinion on the job Turner had done. We now see that agency bleeding money after years of Turner brining in millions of dollars in grants. Never once did we read of Turner losing a grant or embarrassing the agency. We also see now that the fix was in from the start as the two other commissioners had a former deputy and political supporter they wanted in that position. As for the adoption policy any fool knew that the policy supported by Dixon and Jolivette was never going to pass a legal challenge.
By Proud Republican
April 21, 2009 1:42 PM | Link to this
Frankly Furmon is only taking positions contrary to one “Commissioner Dixon”. Jolivettee is just a lap dog doing what ever trick Dixon tells him. One other consideration is Frumon is the only one of the three that didn’t change their political registration for their own political gain. It’s two “Republicans in Name Only” and one “Life Long Republican” currently on the commission. Am I the only one that noticed the democratic party ran no once against Dixon, he’s one of them.
By tk
April 22, 2009 7:52 AM | Link to this
I think Mr. Furmon is a wonderful man. His heart is in his work with Butler County. A B C = Awesome Because of Chuck!
By Maxine
April 22, 2009 1:39 PM | Link to this
Chuck is the only one of the commissioners that is in touch with the county and it’s different communities. I have seen Chick attending meetings, functions and gatherings all over Butler County but can’t recall once bumping into either of the other gentlemen. Maybe it’s because I don’t travel in the same circles as the other commissioners, I don’t go to bars and I’m not a wealthy swinger.
By Carlos
April 22, 2009 3:34 PM | Link to this
Furmon is clearly the more knowledgeable and experienced of the three commissioners. The other two seem to base every decision on what is best for them and their politically connected friends. Currently the commission is run by old boy politicians and big money.
By Jodie
April 22, 2009 4:23 PM | Link to this
I was at a function recently where all three commissioners were present and I had the chance to meet all three. Only Furmon took time to actually talk with me. At this function Furmon moved around the room talking to everyone. The other two stood off in a group and were only comfortable talking with the political big hitters and had no interest in the average citizen. I believe it’s Furmon’s background as a policeman that makes him able to talk and listen to the average Joe. Keep up the good work Commissioner Furmon.