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(simplified and organized)
His name is not Dan Kramer Burr, it’s simply Dan Kramer. The “Burr” stands for what he is, metaphorically: “a burr under their saddle.”
The “their” stands for Delaware’s Sussex County Council.
I found out about Dan on SunshineReview.org, which not long ago honored him as Sunshine Troublemaker of the Week. A local paper’s profile on the semi-retired bean farmer filled in some fascinating details.
He sits near the back of the room, and, before meeting’s end, he stands up to introduce himself. “This is Dan Kramer,” he explains … but doesn’t really need to. In Sussex County he’s attended more meetings than even the elected officials.
The paper calls him an ombudsman … and that fits, for his telephone answering machine sports an interesting outgoing message: “Your problem is my problem,” it intones.
And, by going to every meeting, he can help. His voice carries weight.
He carries a copy of the Freedom of Information Act to every meeting. And he’s a stickler on a number of subjects. “People call me a watchdog,” he admits, but goes on to clarify: “I’m really a junkyard dog who will bite you in the gasket.”
My kind of troublemaker.
I hope you have someone like him in your area. If you don’t, the position is yours to take. According to Dan Kramer, the rewards are many.
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.