SCP-1679
Post-Mortem Peoples' Choice
Connected to: SCP-3088
Special Containment Procedures
Seeing as SCP-1679 is relatively self-contained, and problematic to contain in the traditional sense, the following procedures have been enacted to contain the anomaly.
The Internet connections of those people residing within SCP-1679 are to be monitored and all direct photographs of SCP-1679-1 are to be corrupted, doctored, or destroyed if found on the computers of the inhabitants. Due to the casual nature of the area's citizenry regarding SCP-1679-1, and how relatively few inhabitants of SCP-1679 actually possess Internet connections, this is expected to be relatively easy to manage.
A group of Agents have been implanted within SCP-1679, posing as lodgers renting a suburban home. At least one Agent is to keep employment with the local police force.
Public broadcasts featuring SCP-1679-1 are to be recorded by this group and transported physically on encrypted thumb drives to the nearest Site the day following recording. Due to the fact that these broadcasts appear to be local, and expansion of their range has not been implied by any inhabitants of SCP-1679, further action appears to be unnecessary at this time.
If by chance an Agent begins to perceive SCP-1679-1 as a living being, said Agent is to be removed from field duty and must undergo a psychological evaluation, during which Foundation psychologists and researchers will attempt to discover how and/or why SCP-1679-1's anomaly persists. However, due to the fact that such changes in perception have yet to be documented, it appears to be unlikely that this particular procedure will be necessary in the near future.
Description
SCP-1679 is the town of Belleview in [LOCATION REDACTED], a small town with a population of 2514 as of the 2008 census. SCP-1679-1 is the mummified corpse of a Mr Basil Franklin McMaster, who has been the elected mayoral officer of SCP-1679 for the past 5 6 consecutive terms.
SCP-1679-1 is situated in a wheelchair, and is approximately 95-110 years old. It is believed to have died around age 79; it is unusually well preserved considering its age and circumstance, and much of its skin and other features are still intact. It wears a weathered grey suit with a red tie, and leans to the right of the wheelchair. SCP-1679-1 has never been witnessed moving, respiring, or making vocalizations in public or in private.
SCP-1679-1 is accompanied by between 1 and 3 aides when making public appearances, and has a reserved spot at city council meetings. Said aides will propel its wheelchair and handle any objects which SCP-1679-1 would be normally expected to handle as mayor, such as legal documents. Aides will sign documents approved by SCP-1679-1 in its own name, and while signatures will obviously vary, they are still treated as legitimate and legal by the city.
Television Program: On the first Sunday of every month, SCP-1679-1 will be put on television for the local news stations' "A Chat With Mayor McMaster" fifteen-minute-long public programming block. During this block, SCP-1679-1 will be situated at a slight angle, so as to be facing the camera (and thus the viewer), for the full quarter hour. No commercial interruptions will occur during this block. Citizens do not seem to be compelled to watch SCP-1679-1 during this time, but if they do, they will usually remark on different points 1679-1 apparently makes during this time.
At the end of this program, the local news anchor will provide a brief summary of what SCP-1679-1 discussed during the program. Such discussions have been mundane in nature, with subjects ranging from parents talking to their children about bullies, to general histories of SCP-1679's police or fire departments. All citizenry who watch this program will have witnessed the same general discussion piece by SCP-1679-1, though with minor differences in phrasing.
Discovery: SCP-1679 was discovered by a James Rhode, a college graduate who had taken a cross-country trip after finishing his schooling. According to him, he had stopped at a local hotel to stay the night when the aforementioned programming block was shown. After confronting several citizens of SCP-1679, he fell into a panic and was arrested for public mayhem before he could harm anybody.
An Agent Matthews embedded in the largest nearby town's police force heard of Mr. Rhode's arrest and visited the town, witnessing SCP-1679-1 in public at a city council meeting. Agent Matthews contacted the nearest Foundation Site and containment procedures were enacted. After a short debriefing by Agent Matthews, Rhode himself was given C-class amnestics, and was transported to Donaldson Memorial Hospital with the cover story of being caught in an automobile accident. As of this writing, Rhode has encountered no further anomalies.
A vast majority of outside visitors to SCP-1679 perceive SCP-1679-1 as a living being; why Mr. Rhode and Foundation personnel are unaffected by this phenomenon is as of yet unknown.
Notes on SCP-1679: Citizens of SCP-1679 believe that SCP-1679-1 is an excellent elected official, with an honest streak and an ability to find compromise in nearly any argument. Additionally, the current and previous city councils have repeatedly claimed that SCP-1679-1 has introduced several bills which have considerably improved the economy of SCP-1679 and general welfare of its citizens, up to and including an effective tax system, a several-year-long overhaul of utilities and roadways, and competitive but fair contracts with teacher, city-worker, healthcare, police, and firefighter unions.
SCP-1679 has a 3% unemployment rate, an unusually low crime rate, and a small but thriving arts community. Interviews with citizenry have consistently shown that the majority of SCP-1679's inhabitants have an extremely high opinion of SCP-1679-1, and give it credit for 1679's prosperity.
Bills that have allegedly been enacted by SCP-1679-1 have proven to be consistently and unusually effective in regards to improving the quality of life for its citizens. Additionally, such bills are usually phrased in such a way to benefit SCP-1679 in its own unique situation; many would be markedly less effective if enacted in neighbouring towns. Due to this, as well as other notable similarities, a possible relation to SCP-3088 has been proposed.
Previous to his death, SCP-1679-1 was a reverend at a local church. The citizenry of SCP-1679 rarely if ever remark on this, and it has not yet been implied in legal documents or drafts proposed by SCP-1679-1.