To the editor:
Once again, the rumor mill and innuendo factory are in high gear here in Brown County. In the online Brown County Democrat of May 11, 2021, a letter to the editor from Julie Stelting was published which included numerous errors and false accusations concerning me, my professional ethics, and my alleged association with public officials here in Brown County.
I have never met, spoken to, or associated with Ms. Stelting. The origins of her falsehoods are unknown to me. I thank the BC Democrat for allowing me to address and correct them here.
First, I have been employed in the civil engineering and land surveying professions since 1981. During this time, I have been involved in the design of numerous septic and wastewater processing projects as stated in my recent letter to the commissioners. I am not and have never claimed to be an “expert soil scientist.” Here is the current roster of Indiana Registered Soil Scientist as maintained by Purdue University: <a href="https://www.oisc.purdue.edu/irss/roster.html">https://www.oisc.purdue.edu/irss/roster.html</a>.
I am not and have never been on this list.
Second, Ms. Stelting incorrectly asserts that I work or have worked for the Brown County Health Department to perform repairs, presumably on septic systems, although the nature of my alleged work for the department is unclear. Regardless, and once again, this is untrue. I have never performed work for the Brown County Health Department, personally or through an employer. I have no current intention to, or prospects for, work for the Brown County Health Department. I attach a letter from Mr. Kennard confirming this.
Lastly, Ms. Stelting places her most offensive (and potentially libelous) misstatement on her newly built foundation of falsehoods, when she accuses me of having a financial interest in the outcome of the commissioners’ vote on the new septic ordinance. In fact, my only interest in this matter is a desire for effective regulation and governance, derived from my love for and residency in Brown County. This unfounded attack on my ethics appalls and offends me, and cannot go unanswered. I look forward to Ms. Stelting’s retraction letter and apology, which will surely appear soon in this space.
<p style="text-align: right"><strong>Kevin Allen, Brown County</strong></p>
To the editor:
RE: Letter from Julie Stelting “Was public hearing on septic ordinance ethical.” 5/12/2021
I am always amazed when someone takes the time to write a letter that is to be published and doesn’t bother to research facts prior to submission.
In Ms. Stelting’s letter she questions the legality of a Zoom meeting to conduct county commissioner meetings. Had she researched this question, she would have found that due to COVID restrictions every county had to resort to some form of Zoom meetings to meet the legal requirements for a meeting.
In addition, as a former employee of the Brown County Health Department, she should know that Kevin Allen is not nor ever has been a registered soil scientist. Mr. Allen has never been a licensed septic contractor, nor has he ever made septic repairs in Brown County. While he is not a board certified “licensed civil engineer,” he is quite knowledgeable in the civil engineering field (40 years’ worth) and has participated in the design of several septic systems in Brown County, so I’ll give Ms. Stelting a 1 out of 4 for correctness.
I had a boss many years ago that made a practice of allowing his employees to complain about any issues as long as it was done respectfully and a solution to the problem had to be presented along with the complaint. Oh, and you had better put some thought into your solution.
I would suggest the Brown County Democrat adopt this problem/solution format in the future. It might just reduce the number of misinformed writers prior to their nonsense being published.
<p style="text-align: right"><strong>John Kennard, Brown County citizen and voter</strong></p>
