I am not surprised by the hiring of Scott Flood as the assistant director of county buildings by the St. Clair County Public Building Commission and County Board Chairman Mark Kern. I mean, why should any of us be surprised? This is the way things are done in St. Clair County, right?

Flood is the son of longtime Democrat Sam Flood. He's also a disgraced former state employee who was forced to leave his position with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources for improper on-the-job behavior:

Flood slept on his office floor during working hours.

Flood used his state- owned pickup truck to drive his girlfriend around and for other personal use.

Flood conducted personal business during work hours.

Flood used his state e-mail and cell phone for personal use.

Flood showed up to work late and left early.

This doesn't sound like the kind of person St. Clair County should hire for a $56,000-a-year position, but he's exactly who Kern recommended to the PBC for the job.

Now again, why should we be surprised by this? Chairman Kern has proven he has absolutely no problem hiring his friends despite their proven character issues, for county jobs. Look no further than county Human Resources Director Frank Bergman as proof.

Kern said Flood's previous employment with the county from 1985 through 2003 was "exemplary." That's great. But since then he's proven by the Illinois Executive Inspector General to be unreliable and lazy.

I find it hard to believe there were no better qualified individuals for this position. Was the job even advertised? If it was advertised, where and for how long? Did anyone else apply? What made Scott Flood the best choice given his proven work-related deficiencies?

The good people of St. Clair County have once again been forced to shell out a paycheck to another good Democratic Party soldier, proving it's not what you know, it's who you know. So no, I'm not surprised by this hire. It's the way things are done in St. Clair County.

But it doesn't have to be and that is what makes it so sad.

Nick Miller, of Lebanon, represents District 4 on the St. Clair County Board.