Many snaps to Writemarsh for this heads up (even if it seems maybe the SAC blog's front page post might have raised awareness as well, perhaps?):

Inside Today's Bulletin
Castor: I Was Not Consulted About The Barnes Case
By: Jeff Cobb, For The Bulletin
06/03/2008

Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor (R) says he was not consulted about the county's decision not to appeal a court ruling regarding the Barnes Foundation.

Last week, The Bulletin reported the commissioners would not appeal a May 15 ruling by Montgomery County Orphans Court rejecting their request to reopen a case from 2004 that had granted the Barnes permission to move. Judge Stanley Ott ruled that neither the county, nor co-petitioner the Friends of the Barnes Foundation, a citizens group, had legal standing.

The county had 30 days to appeal, and Wednesday its decision had been relayed by County Solicitor Carolyn Carluccio. She told The Bulletin that she had been clearly informed by commissioner chairman James R. Matthews (R), who in turn spoke for the commissioners.

According to Mr. Matthews yesterday, however, it was simply a mistake.

"I think she made an assumption," Mr. Matthews said. "I don't normally speak without having a majority opinion behind me."

......Yesterday, Mr. Matthews said he still doubts the county will appeal. He said taxpayers might have to pay for sanctions if the judge takes issue with a request for reconsideration without the county doing more to establish standing.

Ms. Carluccio said last week she felt strongly that the county should have been granted standing, but the commissioners had made their decision.

But this was news to Commissioners Castor and Joe Hoeffel (D).

"I was stunned to read in Thursday's Bulletin that the deputy county solicitor was directed to cease efforts to keep the Barnes in the county by Chairman Matthews. He never discussed it with me," Mr. Castor said in a press release.

Continuing, he said, "My phone has been ringing off the hook from upset residents of Lower Merion who are outraged over this apparent about face.....Likewise, Mr. Hoeffel said his reading about Mr. Matthews' statement came as news. While saying he does not think the county's chances are good, he said the issue needed to be properly discussed.

"The three of us have not talked about it and made an official position," Mr. Hoeffel said, "I got an e-mail from Bruce [Castor] today saying that he thinks this is something we should appeal."

"I'm flat out opposed to dropping the legal appeals if there are any remedies available to us," Mr. Castor said. "Based on what I know I think that there are."

Does Jim Matthews think we're all so dumb, or the rest of them for that matter? We're talking Three Stooges here in Montgomery County. Let's see if they are anything other then political paper tigers, eh?

Let's see if they can connect the dots to various conflicts of interest and whatnot with the Barnes case, eh? It's all out there...and what of Pew? Do they have the most to lose if this implodes and why?

And those Barnes Friends? They need to hold a good old fashioned protest. Get jiggy with it downtown somewhere. Maybe in front of the proposed site since it is probably government land? Make some noise Lower Merion! Don't just write letters to the editor, make some noise! Make Montgomery County keep it's word,and write the Attorney General and tell HIM to get jiggy with it. Contact the AG by following this link HERE.

Make people accountable. It's our art. It was born as a collection in Lower Merion as the wishes of a great man now gone from us...his last wishes should mean something. Promises spouted from the mouths of county level politicans should mean something. And just out of curiousity, how much more time is Jim Matthews in office? He seems to open his mouth without thinking a great deal, doesn't he?