Art Morris was also the instigator for yet another pending lawsuit against Lancaster County and the County Commissioners.

While a "leopard" may be able to change its spots, it still remains a "leopard."

Ah, my friend lancoyokel. Would you have preferred that Morris et al picked an immediate replacement out of a hat?

I was not at the meeting last week when it was agreed for Morris to take the interim executive director position. From what I was told, the board preferred a more thorough search rather than a quick appointment of someone. IMO that's a prudent move considering the complicated mess this entire project has been.

A position as important as Executive Director needs to be carefully scrutininzed and a qualified person appointed. From what I'm understanding, this is not an easy task to accomplish. In the meantime Morris is doing what he can - unpaid.

Maybe you should apply for the position.

Having grown up "on the inside" in these parts, I have to opine that lancoyokel is about right on the mark with his observations.

Sorry Kate Promise we're still friends?

Morris' status a perpetual "guest" blatherer in LNP's rags is merely one indicator. What's really telling about Morris' perpetual role as His Guestliness is his talent for playing himself off as the insider's insider. Otherwise known as a pedigreed mercenary.

Since my first introduction to him as a student at Lancaster Country Day School, when he was....er, well, (try to follow here) somehow associated with the school because he was born in England and the then Headmaster John Jarvis was Scottish and, well, somehow that was supposed to mean something (never found out what), and what with LCDS being closely associated with F&M ("subsidiary" we were called jokingly ), and what with Ben Franklin having been to England, mind you, and Lancaster being named after a place in England, and Jarvis being a war hero from fighting to keep India British, and they two being ex-pat chums (despite Morris coming here when he was like 7) and Jarvis being so loved for his horrendous watercolor renderings of red roses on "old looking" maps that resembled heart transplants.....

..... well, somehow or other (lord knows how) Morris parlayed all that garbage into the closest thing you could call a pedigree around here, and the next thing you know he's having lunch at the Hamilton Club with Peggy and Carrie. And then he's Mayor. And then "former-mayor-for-life", a man who's political life was slightly less-exciting than Calvin Coolidge's, who nevertheless reminds us almost daily that his nearly-Coolidge-like tenure somehow makes the drivel that runs out of his pie-hole mean something.

Confused yet?

Like skull-&-bones, once you're "in", you're in for life. Well, that is, as long as you agree to play along, to whatever tune the other "insiders" are playing at the moment. And Morris has played his little role spectaculary for several decades, always the "just an ex-mayor-from-a-forgettable-term-who-just-happens-to-get-in-the-press-anytime-I-open-my-mouth"
everyman (cough) who brings his "considerable experience" to the table alongside his "just an average Joe" status.

So, having dealt with the career of Mr. Morris and the oh-too-bizarre background of his so-called "status" since I was a lad of 17, I would take anything he says with a grain of salt the size of a house.

Just sayin'

Both you and LancoYokel have valid points. Art Morris may very well be the best choice - if not the ONLY choice - for interim director. But Art Morris has always been a part of the PROBLEM; for him to now present himself as a part of the SOLUTION ignores the fact that we are being forced to pay for a fiscal nightmare that he has fervently supported for years.

Art Morris is working overtime to lull the public into accepting the inevitable County tax increases that will be required to support the massive operational losses which the convention center will generate, plus the inevitable Lancaster City tax increases when the "Act 23" grants for the "private" hotel are reduced because it doesn't generate as much State sales and income tax revenue as promised.

'yokel does make sense regarding conflict of interest in Art Morris being both director and chairman.

It's a "damned if you do and damned if you don't" situation.

But it's also very difficult to find an interim director who can afford to work for only a short time. Tom LeCrone did an interim position for the county for a short time during their budget time period.

It doesn't make sense to hire an interim, get him or her up to speed only to have to say "goodbye it was great knowing you" when someone more qualified comes along.