I have been following the Fresno County issue of the law suit filed by the sheriff against the board of supervisors. Being of the opinion that most money spent by a county department in a law suit against the board is a horrendous waste of tax money, legal action should be a last resort and only then justified in a very few cases.

In this case I believe the action was justified. The sheriff is elected in a county wide election to "Protect and Serve" the citizens of the entire county. To have the authority and judgment of the sheriff questioned by the board undermines the authority of the duly elected sheriff.

Day after day I watch the great debate in progress.

Who has the better map AT&T or Verizon? I sit and wonder how both can have the best coverage, how both can have the best service. My cell phone works fine for my needs and I could care less about, whatever 3G is or how it works.

I watched the news of the recent TEA party convention.

First the disclaimer -- I do not speak for the TEA party movement, I do not speak for the TEA party convention organizers. I am but a small portion of the TEA party movement.

I need to check the record books, but I think my political career could be the shortest in Madera County history. Bottom line, I bit of more than I could chew.

I knew with the damage to my heart I had limitations. I guess the 20 point bump in my blood pressure and chest pain the other night helped with my decision not to run.

We're about to pass a "health care reform plan" a majority of the country does not want, written by a committee whose leader admits he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it, but then exempts themselves from it, to be signed by a president that also hasn't read it, and who smokes, with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's already broke, living on credit.

As usual to get the votes needed to pass this bill deals had to be made, the fairness and a level playing field simply vanished.

Ahwahnee and Raymond Cal Fire Stations are no longer staffed to provide emergency services to their areas. They were closed Jan. 11. This is not only a tragedy affecting the Ahwahnee and Raymond communities, but also affects all of Eastern Madera County.

Emergency response cuts have a trickle-up effect. Any emergency response call for the Raymond or Ahwahnee areas will require an engine to respond from Oakhurst or the Indian Lakes subdivision.

Dale Drozen, who has watched the goings on in county government for several years, is joining the list of Sierra Star columnists.

He brings a perspective honed by countless meetings, stacks of hours of observation and mountains of reports.

In my time observing our local government, I have formed some strong opinions. In future columns I plan to focus on specifics of what I am digging up as I observe and participate in our local government. This first outing is more of an overview of how we are losing our way.

Our system of government has not been based on trust, the writers included checks and balances, but most important it is based on ‘WE THE PEOPLE’ never letting go of our right to know or our right to have control of our government. We have written these protections into our constitutions and our laws.