The oath of office for the Rowan County Board of Commissioners doesnít say anything about abiding by drunken driving laws. There is no legal requirement that a commissioner step down upon being charged or convicted of driving while impaired or any other misdemeanor.
So calling for Jon Barber to resign as a county commissioner is probably futile. This requires a judgment call on his part, and Barber has demonstrated poor judgment on the subject of alcohol abuse for some time.
In June 2008, Barber pleaded guilty to driving while impaired after being found passed out in his car. He later said the incident led him to discover he is diabetic.
In May 2010, Barber resigned from his job as a teacher amid allegations he was drunk in a classroom full of students.
Last week, a statement from the SBI said Barber is the subject of an investigation related to the Sunday morning theft of a $2.99 bottle of wine from a convenience store. He has not been charged.
This past Sunday, the Highway Patrol charged Barber with driving while impaired after he crashed his car into a tree.
This sounds like a self-destructive path that takes ever-greater risks. Barberís troubles have been sad to watch.
The most intriguing aspect of this nearly three-year span is that Barber won re-election last year amid all this controversy. Voters have more confidence in Jon Barber ó flawed as he is ó than in other people vying for the job.
You could argue that weíre all flawed in some way, and youíd be right. Some flaws are just more visible. But a flaw like repeated drunken driving that puts other peopleís lives at risk is more than a personal tic. And itís certainly not a trait citizens want to see in someone who represents and sometimes speaks for the county.
Republicans are already jockeying for Barberís seat on the commission, hoping for his resignation or the discovery of a felonious infraction. Barber does not want to surrender his seat, period, but especially not to someone unlikely to vote his way, and political supporters have in the past urged him to stay. That is likely what keeps Barber going ó that support and the desire to hold on to an elected office that may be the greatest accomplishment of his life.
ěI have a tough road ahead of me,î Barber said a year ago. ěI know I will always have to say, ëI am an alcoholic.í But my faith sustains me and I know, with His help, that one day Iíll be able to say, ëIím a recovering alcoholic.í î
Barber should resign or take a leave of absence while he seeks treatment. His words are full of hope and commitment, but his actions show his struggle with alcohol is far from over.