County Manager advocates electing the outgoing Councillors?

I read in your newspaper and couldn't believe my eyes what I am reading: 'At the end of the meeting County Manager Danny McLoughlin appealed to the public to return as many of the present council representatives as possible'.How dare an unelected official say that in a council meeting? When did he become the electioneering agent for the Councillors.Is it because they are all yes men (and woman), the lot of these sitting councillors that he wants to see them back in the council chambers?He has tamed them all and would love to have them back in as councillors because they are "level headed" and this means the first time elected person like myself would be too unruly or wild to tackle? When did the unelected officials assume this role?This is sad day in history of Irish politics where a County Manager is appealing the electorate to vote for people with whom he (the County Manager) feels comfortable. Is it not the case that the Returning Officer is also a subordinate of the County manager. As a candidate it makes me feel slightly uncomfortable that the civil servants are giving advice/ counsel to the electors. Do they think people should be coaxed into electing certain bunch of people because the common man is unable to make up his/ her own mind? This is insult to Democracy and the electorate.People have resigned over much lesser issues but I doubt anybody will call for even an apology!Am I in Ireland? or in Pakistan where the Military Dictator General Parvez Musharraf endorsed the Muslim League (Kings Party) and they lost elections miserably.Rashid ButtIndependent Town Council candidate