County could eliminate 12 commissioners

By DUANE SHERRILL / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

ZECHMAN

A movement to cut the size of local government in half is afoot in the Warren County Commission as two officials are aiming to change the way the county’s districts are represented, or at least how commissioners are elected.

“This holds elected representatives accountable for their actions,” said Commissioner George Smartt who will be submitting one of the propositions to the entire commission Dec. 19. “Any commissioner who is doing a good job should be in favor of it.”

Smartt, along with fellow Commissioner Bill Zechman, will put two questions before the commission when it meets in regular session next Monday night. The first proposition, to be offered by Zechman, will ask the commission to cut its size from 24 to 12, meaning one elected representative from each district instead of the present two.

“This will promote transparency in local government,” Zechman said of his resolution, noting it would lessen the taxpayer burden by over $36,000 in salaries and it would improve legislative efficiency.

State law requires county commissions be composed of not less than nine nor more than 25 commissioners. It also allows the commissions to decide their own size within those parameters.

According to Zechman, prior attempts to cut the commission have failed overwhelmingly, with one prior attempt getting only two votes, namely his and Smartt’s.

However, Smartt pointed out one time the resolution failed 17-7, with 12 of those voting against cutting the size of the commission either failing to get re-elected or simply choosing not to run.

“Maybe the voters are trying to tell us something,” Smartt said.

The Smartt resolution will offer an option for commissioners. In his resolution, commissioners are not asked to cut their number but instead are asked to change the way they are elected. Specifically, the Smartt plan would create an A and B seat in each district. The seats would then be decided in separate races with candidates declaring which seat they are seeking. A similar measure failed 13-11 a few years ago.

“Not only would this make leaders more accountable, but it may also bring out more good candidates, some who chose not to run before because they were friends with one of the commissioners,” Smartt said.

He noted a study he conducted revealed 60 percent of voters voted for only one commissioner in their district, opting not to even bother voting for the second seat. Presently, the top two vote-getters in a district are elected.

Any action by the commission next Monday night would be binding for next year’s elections.