More of the same at the Palace
Randall Reid-Smith (at right) was appointed commissioner of the Division of Culture and History effective July 1, immediately followed by Art Director Richard Ressmeyer’s firing.
The Wicked Wag writes:
Ms. Claymore, your courage and honesty are indeed admirable. Thank you for expressing your views. (See post below). They ring true. As for those who are griping about the dearth of local art coverage at the moment, the Wag is reminded of the old joke, “Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?”
The Wag suffered a conciliatory moment, thinking that the Manchins deserved a measure of old-fashioned West Virginia grace. But considering recent events at the Division of Culture and History, the Wag now fully recognizes that West Virginia is getting a big dose of old-fashioned, stinking West Virginia politics. Because it’s happening in the arts and culture sector, the West Virginia media is not paying attention.
The guvner, after 19 months in office, finally named a commissioner of culture and history, and that commissioner’s first action is to lop off the head of a state employee who differed with the opinion of the secretary of arts and education. People who know assert that Kay Goodwin’s attempts to grab money from the State Commission on the Arts to fix her botched museum project may be flat-out illegal. The guvner obviously thinks none of this is important, or he would have directed the secretary of arts and education to conduct a real search for a qualified commissioner. Instead, what do we get? A guy plopped into the position whose only qualification is that Mrs. Manchin says he is adorable.
We also get to see — is collusion too strong a word? – the governer, his wife, and their operative, the secretary of arts and education, conspiring to force a pillow on the face of West Virginia Culture and History. Indeed, it’s gasping for breath. Maybe the guv hoped Culture and History would just go away during those 19 months of neglect, and under the stifling hand of Kay Goodwin, that still just might happen. It will be interesting to see who else’s head rolls, since the board members of the arts commission (confusingly also called commissioners) are appointed by the governor, and serve at his “will and pleasure.” Several of these intelligent and responsible people also disagree with Kay Goodwin. So, now what, Joe Manchin? What now, Gayle Manchin?
What are Mrs. Goodwin’s qualifications for the position she holds? Never mind that. What has she done since she has held the job? Have the state’s culture and history sectors prospered under her hand? Where are you, Charleston Gazette? How about you, Charleston Daily Mail? Can we see some reporting on the issues? It appears to the Wag that if arts and education are moving forward, it is entirely without Kay Goodwin’s assistance.
What are Randall Reid-Smith’s qualifications? It isn’t enough for the governor’s press secretary to simply announce that the governor thinks Reid-Smith is well qualified. Judging from his performance so far in the arts and culture sector, the guv wouldn’t know a qualified arts administrator from the back of his own neck. Let’s examine Randall Reed-Smith’s qualifications. If his job at Culture and History was to raise money for the museum, how well did he perform? Did he raise any money? And if so, from where?
I asked in an earlier blog who’s calling the shots at Culture and History. That, dear reader, was a rhetorical question. It’s not that tough to guess. Mrs. Goodwin, you’re doing a lousy job with education and the arts. The Wag started to say ‘you’re doing a pedestrian job,’ but no, lousy, stifling, incompetent–all those words apply. That’s less than pedestrian. Joe and Gayle Manchin, it takes more than lip service to lead in arts and education.
And you, Randall Reid-Smith? If you were to jump out of their laps and take any initiative of your own, you can bet your head would roll, too.
July 20th, 2006 at 12:35 pm
So far, RRS has proven to be as much of an elitist as his friends across the drive, insisting, to people who outrank him in experience, education, class, and competence, that they call him “Commissioner.” Granted, that’s his title. But the collegial working atmosphere among the folks who work at the Palace has gone by the wayside in light of RRS’s insistence that he’s better than everyone else. *ugh*
July 21st, 2006 at 7:38 am
In fairness it appears that Kay Goodwin, who insists on being addressed as “Secretary,” is the one who mandated that Reid-Smith be called “Commissioner.”
As for qualifications, it seems that the only qualification anyone needs to be in charge of an agency in state government is the Governor’s blessing. That’s why it’s called will-and-pleasure. Is there any agency that actually has minimum qualifications in the state code for it’s boss?
July 30th, 2006 at 11:50 am
So what are your qualifications, Wag? Just about everyone thought that Ressmeyer was an egomaniac and a hack whose time had come. Even the people he gives money to weren’t all that sad to see him go. At least Goodwin had the balls to finally fire him.
For years now, Ressmeyer had been running one of the sweetest ‘lil scams in state goverment, giving out taxpayer money to his buddies in WV’s South Hills arts plutocracy, and in turn, kicking back money to legislators for their pet projects.
Now he’s gone. Are you pissed because your gravy train finally derailed?
September 18th, 2006 at 4:20 am
I comment to set it straight.Mr. Ressmeyer never had control over the money. That is the hands of the Arts Board. At best Mr Ressmeyer was a very good manager. He looked out for the arts. Mr. Ressmeyer fought to keep the money in the hands of this board (he did not pick) so that there would be a least a couple years of grant money to organizations and artists.
Now that may end.
It is so sad that such an unimformed person does not do their research and has a bone to pick perhaps because they have failed to achive a grant . It is not who but what you do.
Good luck to you Mr. Ressmeyer you are one the few people I met that had a really good knowledge of ART.
December 21st, 2006 at 10:48 am
Mrs. Goodwin insist on being called Secretary by her staff, however, others call her Kay. They obviously don’t think she has earned the title.