County Supervisor to Information Officer? NO!

Butch Church

Roanoke County Supervisor Butch Church's expressed intention to apply for a job as the county's public information officer is beyond outrageous, even if he resigns the county board before a decision is made. He has no background in public information, journalism, advertising or any related field (his is insurance sales) and even if he did, this would be totally inappropriate.

An information officer must have the trust and faith of all around him. Church has none of that in any capacity. He has been a micromanaging bully throughout his time on the county board and the staff simply loathes him, from what I'm told by people who know.

Church's relationship with the press in his board role has been tenuous, at best, argumentative and disrespectful at the other end. He even refused to tell daily paper reporter Chase Purdy (here) whether he planned to resign the board while his application is being considered.

You have to wonder about Church's motives. Does he need the money that the salary in this mid-level, relatively low paying job would afford? Does he believe he could distort information to suit himself in a position where nearly everybody would be his boss? Does he think this would be a step up in influence from supervisor?

There are a number of qualified people out there who will apply for this job and you have to wonder what Church's response will be when he's not hired as the PI officer--and he won't be. County Administrator Clay Goodman is in a difficult position here. If he hires Church, how does he control this strutting Prussian? If he doesn't hire him, what will Church's response be and will Church try to get even for the perceived snub?

All this could have been avoided if Church simply had an ounce of ethical consideration.