Taking A Stand: Commissioners snub the people

Now how come I’m not surprised the Warren County Commission voted down cutting its size, or even changing the way commissioners get elected?

The vote to trim its bloated size from 24 to 12 commissioners ended up losing 16-7, about what I figured. While the vote to install A and B seats ended up closer, 13-10, in a measure which would have held commissioners more accountable.

But, in the end, the commission ended up doing nothing ? about what we’ve come to expect from a group which would take years to agree on whether to eat Mexican or Chinese food.

Of course, they take action when it comes to cutting their work load while getting the same pay. In case you missed it, a while back the commission voted to reduce its regular meetings from once a month to once every two months, yet, keep their same rate of pay.

Wouldn’t that be nice? Getting the same pay for half as much work. Does this mean they do less? You tell me. We know one thing for sure, they meet half as much. It’d be like me keeping the same salary and coming in to the office only Monday, Wednesday, and half a day Friday.

Now I’m getting word some among this bunch of elected officials want to report me to my corporate bosses because I hurt their feelings. Now that’s just sad. Not only is your county court not responsive to your demands to cut their size but they are also tattle tales. What’s next? Are you going to run tell mommy I pulled your hair?

I’ve just had it with this dinosaur of a county commission. I’ve watched for years as the commission has been unable to reach decisions due to its inflated size whereby a 12-person commission would have been able to better serve the county.

And, let me stun you here by saying something nice about our Warren County Commission. In my humble opinion there are about 18 of the 24 presently on the commission who are people I consider to be competent and even intelligent. And the other six, while not rocket scientists, are still good people.

But this isn’t about good people, intelligent people or motivations as to why people want to be commissioners. This is about streamlining government. We, as Warren countians, would benefit from a streamlined commission in getting things done.

And the thing which I’ve harped on for a while is the more than $36,000 we pay the extra 12 commissioners each and every year even as we lose good county employees because they can’t afford health insurance for their families. These are working-class Warren County residents who have to seek work in other counties. We need to take this money we’re wasting on extra government officials and help these folks afford insurance.

Is all this worth voting them all out? I mean, this vote came on the eve of an election in the face of overwhelming sentiment the commission cut its numbers. I guess that’s something each voter will have to determine. There will be several issues in the upcoming elections here, one of the foremost being government responsiveness to the people it represents.

Their most recent response was a thumbing of their noses. Careful folks, wouldn’t want to upset the old boy network.

Duane Sherrill is a reporter for the Standard. He can be reached at 473-2191 or by e-mail at [email protected].