At 1-15pm on Friday last, UCO's very own terminator team – minus combat gear and camouflage, bombarded the offices of the UCO Reporter in a coup d'etat worthy of any movie. Their mission? To halt further publications of the UCO Reporter in it's current format. Why? because it has offended the feelings of some UCO Officials.
As a result three senior volunteers were unceremoniously frogmarched out of the Reporter office building with little thought being given as to how the paper can continue production, since the staff, with the possible exception of one, refuse to work under any censored regime.
Not only was the covert raid totally unwarranted and unnecessary, it has ensured that a mere handful of authoritative individuals can now dictate what residents are allowed to read. Ironically, only two of these officials have secured places at UCO after the next election.
I wonder why these heinous crimes, allegedly committed by the Reporter, were never revealed to the Delegate Assembly but remained discussed and cursed at West Drive. With the exception of Jerry Karpf's letter ( published in the current edition) the Reporter has not received one complaint about the newspaper's style or content. Could it be that the Reporter's readers were becoming a little too interested in the antics of Treasurer, Ed Black, and VP, Frank Cornish, both of whom will leave office in March and face re-election?
From the launch of the new look Reporter, last March, Black has never submitted a report or article on his actives but has contributed enormously to the discomfort and poor welfare of the Reporter staff. Cornish,was again exposed in this months edition for his poor handling of the asbestos problem in the Reporter building. Rallying support from equally sensitive UCO Officials the two, ignoring the will of the people, mounted a military style campaign to oust the Reporter's Co Editors.
For the first time in it's history, until last Friday, the Reporter was run like a professional business. Now bringing in over $10,000 a month from advertising contracts, how will these contacts be honored without a competent experienced staff? Since most Reporter advertisers, especially Realtor's, rely on the monthly publication they should the paper not appear they will be entitled not only to a refund for their advertisements but compensation for loss of revenue.
Like all modern newspapers the Reporter is completely digitally produced. It requires far more than basic computer knowledge to compile it. Since April, when printing costs were more than halved by the recent forcibly retired Reporter staff, the paper has a contract with a digital publisher, with several months left to run. His monthly bill will have to be paid whether or not the paper is published.
Vice President, Phyllis Richland is recorded at having remarked that it won't matter if the Reporter doesn't appear for a couple of months. I guess, not being forced to ride the bus, the like of Ms. Richland care not one jot on relying on the monthly published bus schedule but her electorate may, particular when they could be minus a Reporter, it's income and be faced with compensation and bills to boot.
Ego's are expensive. Frankly, there could be one major 'Ed Ache' from 'Ed Injuries' for UCO if the Reporter doesn't appear next month as clearly defined in the by-laws.
What a pity this bunch chose the battle royal with Reporter but ignored the exploits of Insurance Guru Dan Gladstone. What misery and heartache, let alone expense that could have saved.
One thing is certain the village has found a voice and the two fat ladies haven't even started singing yet, even if they have been forced to listen to , 'That Old Black Magic' !
