A Cumberland mayor and city council members are again at odds, with discussion of impeachment highlighting a recent meeting.

If it seems like you've heard this story before, it's because you probably have. Impeachments and attempted impeachments have been part of Cumberland's history, as well as that of other cities in Harlan County, for a number of years.

While it could be considered entertaining to watch council members and mayors trade accusations and insults, the problem is that very little gets done when city leaders can't get along.

I'm sure the Cumberland city government has had some accomplishments over the past two decades, but the continued bickering stands out above all in my mind. Perhaps this inability to get along has played a role in the community's struggles to overcome a devastating economic downturn that can be seen simply by driving through Cumberland and seeing all the boarded-up buildings where a city stood as late as the 1970s.

Council members appear to have some good reasons for being concerned with Mayor Loretta Cornett's lack of leadership abilities following what seems now to have been a rash decision to demote or dismiss city police officers. Cornett admitted as much a few days later after she changed her mind and restored the officers to their former positions.

The council failed to secure the unanimous vote needed to impeach Cornett, who then rejected a request to step down, citing the best argument she has to remain in office.

The people of Cumberland knew what they were getting when they elected Cornett as mayor. If the town's citizens want her in charge, it's difficult for a handful of city council members to justify removing her from office, short of proof that laws have been broken.

Poor leadership may be the biggest obstacle Harlan County faces in its struggle to break out of a decline that's continued for decades. It often seems that our passion for tearing down our neighbors is greater than our desire to work together for progress.

It's been pointed out numerous times in this space through the years that Harlan County cannot justify seven city governments. We have too many amateurs in charge of their tiny kingdoms who spend more time bickering than looking for long-term solutions.

City governments should be more than comic relief for cities whose communties are dying around them.

It was not surprising, but still disappointing, to hear leaders from Benham several months ago insist that it should be up to the citizens of the town to determine if services should be shared between the Tri-Cities.

Perhaps the state officials who hand out the grants to keep struggling cities afloat should take a vote to determine if the money is being wasted in communities that refuse to cooperate.

Until communities, and the factions within those communities, learn to work together to move our area forward, Harlan Countians working for progress are fighting a losing battle.

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John Henson can be contacted by e-mail at editor@harlanonline.net