Conservative Officials Lunch: Jail tours, salad traps and Lindsay Lohan

If you’re a regular of the All Politics is Local blog then you know I had a lunch date with the conservative county officials today.

The lunch has been the topic of some discussion. It was brought up during a Wednesday board time discussion, with commissioners agreeing how future public meetings are noticed.

Anyways, the meeting was publicly noticed and I did attend. Dining companions included Commissioners David Madore and Tom Mielke, Sheriff Garry Lucas, Assessor Peter Van Nortwick and Clerk Scott Weber.

Despite getting invites, state Sen. Don Benton and state Reps. Paul Harris and Brandon Vick were not in attendance.

There was some talking shop done at lunch, but it would be a stretch to say anything was close to policy discussion.

I listened to Madore and Lucas talk brass tacks regarding how the jail operates. Madore commented to me that he was very impressed with his recent tour of the lockup.

Honestly, it was just some guys having lunch. Maybe it was because I was there, maybe not. But if it’s listed on the commissioner’s calendar in the future, I’ll be showing up.

Van Nortwick, who planned the get together, let me know he’s happy to have me hang out with them. Weber then said, laughing, “I didn’t know we had a choice.”

He’s right. They really don’t have a choice.

I did get some Twitter time in between conversations, and got the elected’s orders down for the record. Although, looking back on it, I might have botched Weber’s order. That thing had slaw on it. It must have been some kind of chicken sandwich. (Personal note: Scott, I am so sorry if I misrepresented your meal in my tweets.)

Erik Hidle ‏@col_clarkgov | “We have a quorum for lunch! Madore and Mielke are here, first order of business is lunch orders. Reference: http://www.columbian.com/weblogs/loca… ”

Erik Hidle ‏@col_clarkgov | “Sheriff Garry Lucas orders the shrimp louie.”

Erik Hidle ‏@col_clarkgov | “Assessor Peter Van Nortwick orders the whiskey bbq sandwich. I think that’s a chicken situation…hard to hear. Need to fact check.”

Erik Hidle ‏@col_clarkgov | “Commissioner Tom Mielke orders a chicken caesar salad. #healthyoptions”

Erik Hidle ‏@col_clarkgov | “Commissioner David Madore goes with the teriyaki burger…was careful with his cheese and side options. #heartsmart”

Erik Hidle ‏@col_clarkgov | “Clerk Scott Weber orders…I didnt catch it. Going to need a followup interview.”

Erik Hidle ‏@col_clarkgov | “Lunch is here. Weber has a burger.”

In the midst of this, former Columbian reporter Andrea Damewood helped to fact check my work.

Andrea Damewood ‏@adamewood | “Hate to burst bubble, but Caesar salads aren’t good. RT @col_clarkgov Commissioner Tom Mielke orders a chicken caesar salad. #healthyoptions”

Andrea Damewood ‏@adamewood | “@col_clarkgov Lots of mayo, cheese and croutons up in that salad!!”

I thought about explaining here that my hashtags (this symbol, #) are almost always jokes. But I knew I would just sound like that guy trying to get out of looking dumb. Besides, Columbian health reporter Marissa Harshman decided to jump in at this point.

Marissa Harshman ‏@col_health | “@adamewood @col_clarkgov Do I need to write a Live Well story about salad traps?”

From here you can watch a phenomena that Columbian city hall reporter Stephanie Rice refers to as the “two degrees of Lindsay Lohan effect.”

Andrea Damewood ‏@adamewood | “@col_health @col_clarkgov PS: “salad traps” made me think of the Parent Trap and now I wanna watch it. #whenlilowasgreat”

Stephanie Rice ‏@col_cityhall | “@adamewood @col_health @col_clarkgov Well now I just want to watch “Mean Girls.” #whenlilowasgreat”

Andrea Damewood ‏@adamewood | “@col_cityhall @col_health @col_clarkgov Ohh! Tina Fey and Lilo double dose! Good call!”

Yup. That’s what came of all this.

Oh, also, I walked away from it all with an odorous gift.

Stephanie Rice ‏@col_cityhall | “Well, @col_clarkgov has returned from Billygans, and he smells like barbecue.”