Allan Jennings

One of the first people we met when we moved to Gold Hill in 1998 was Allan Jennings. A utility worker with the city's public works department, he cleaned out our barely functioning sewer line and replaced a broken valve in our water main—in the pouring rain. Tall and dark with enormous hands and a perpetual scowl, he's a quiet, serious man, and not afraid of hard work. I liked him immediately.

Like most of us in Gold Hill he stayed clear of politics—until this year. In January a local man named Allan Scott Baker angrily demanded the resignations of half the city council. The council members refused to resign. Baker took out papers and collected the necessary 61 signatures.

Jennings wrote a letter to the editor.

Supporters of Gold Hill's recall have shown little to voters as to why three council members should not be allowed to finish their terms. There has been no misconduct by these councilors that rises to the level of deserving to be recalled. This recall is about overzealous supporters of Chief Dean Muchow, who believe no one should question their man.

Fact: Police departments often want to expand beyond the public's ability to support. The responsibility of council members is to set realistic levels for city services. Sometimes that means funding only one to two policemen in a small town. It is not anti-police to not hire more police officers than you need. It's common sense.

This recall is an abuse of the process and is democracy at its worst. It is an attempt to remove councilors who are doing their job by not rubber-stamping everything Chief Muchow wants.

The editor of the Mail Tribune agreed.

In the case of the attempted recall of three council members in Gold Hill, our opposition goes far beyond the philosophical. The targets of that effort are not only innocent of any wrongdoing, they appear to be among the few elected or appointed officials in the town willing to stand up and fulfill their obligations.

In May the recall failed, 95 to 171, 101 to 165, and 101 to 161. The bickering continued. In July Mayor Sherry Young angrily resigned, put her house up for sale, and moved out of town.

Then in August I was surprised to see that Allan Jennings had thrown his hat in the ring.

Jennings has lived in the city for 42 years and said he knows how to "run a meeting and maintain a meeting."...

"The city attorney said I couldn't accept a paycheck as public works employee. But I wouldn't accept a paycheck as mayor," said Jennings, adding he would recuse himself from any vote that might create a conflict.

"I can bow out of any personal issues," said Jennings. "Conflict? I don't know about that. Someone has to prove that to me."

"I'm going to vote for him," I told my wife, "I like Allan Jennings."

Unfortunately, not everyone does:

GOLD HILL — A candidate withdrew from the city's mayoral race Wednesday, saying he had become a target of police harassment.

Allan D. Jennings, a Gold Hill public works employee who was seeking election to the city's highest office, said Sgt. Hank Hobart tried to intimidate him after Jennings filed a complaint with the city that may have ramifications within the Police Department.

"I've been stopped three times in the past weeks," said Jennings. "Hank has written me a ticket, he's called my wife and freaked her out and he's called my supervisor and council members with bogus claims about me. I can't have all this. I'm just a working man."

I'm still going to vote for him. Allan Jennings has lived here for 42 years.

It's Hank Hobart who's got to go.