Commissioner Michael Holden’s ludicrous comment, “Nobody in this room worked harder than I did to make sure Pinehurst has a top-line water system,” is somewhat akin to the late and great Pope John Paul having claimed that he had exhausted himself trying to promote women’s rights to choose and birth control.

Pinehurst would have its own system today had Mike Holden honored agreements and not torpedoed negotiations with Pinehurst officials by insisting that the village purchase 40 years’ worth of water “up front.”

It will be interesting to see if he, Sauders and Cummings now work behind the scenes to continue the odious practice of inhibiting citizens’ rights to be heard at public meetings.

Paul Dunn