Nepotism. It's not that simple.

Oh where do I begin?

Well, how 'bout nepotism?

The rule is, no one in public office here is allowed to promote or hire a person within that local government who is within three degrees of being related. That means no brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, sons, daughters, cousins, and you get the idea.  Simple enough?

Well, depends on where you live.

Just ask the prestigious city hall officers (in a town of 300... on a good day) where I adventured for my story last week.  (I do say "adventured" because we began our drive on a paved highway, and then one gravel road, two mountain goats, and one forged river later... we arrived. I was crossing my fingers we didn't get dysentery or a snake bite along the way. For those of you who haven't survived Oregon Trail... only the greatest computer game ever invented... look it up.)

Aaaaand I've come back from that tangent.

Back to the city hall officers in the bump in the road town who are all under investigation for, among other things, you guessed it... NEPOTISM.

We found city hall right next to the car wash... the second building we found standing in town. We found some very nice gentlemen leaning up against their trucks, steered clear of the chew they were firing into the wind, and asked them where we could find the city officials.  I was sad to find out we just missed them for the day because everyone had cut out to go "dove huntin'."

Lucky us though, one of them, the city manager rolled up just a few moments later.

I'll fast forward through the name calling, chew spittin', and engine revving that was the standoff between the angry town folk and the city official... and get right to the part where I asked him about the allegations. 

I asked, "How do you respond to the allegations of nepotism? Is that happening here at city hall?"

He responded,  "Well, young lady, that's a tough one.  In this town, 'bout 98% of us is all related, so... not sure what we can do 'bout that."

Touché.