December 19, 2016 at 5:30 p.m.
Decision should’ve waited until ’17
Editorial
What’s wrong with this picture?
Three Jay County Commissioners gather for their regular meeting.
Among the items before them is a contract, a contract with a guy who specializes in helping local governments get their fiscal houses in order.
The three commissioners had a similar contract with the same guy in 2016, and while some of his advice was followed, a good chunk of it never moved beyond the recommendation stage.
So one could argue that renewing the contract may or may not be a smart decision. That’s very much a judgment call.
But there are a few other factors to consider.
Two of the three commissioners at the meeting are lame ducks. One is retiring from service as a commissioner. The other was defeated in his party primary in May.
And both of the incoming commissioners who will take their seats in January are on the record opposing the government financial adviser and his contract.
Both of them — who would constitute a majority of the commissioners on Jan. 1 — have expressed skepticism about outside consultants in general and this consultant in particular.
Faced with all that, the three incumbents could have simply tabled the matter and left it for the new trio in January. They could have made their case on the record as to why they believe renewing the contract made sense, casting it as advice for the new officeholders.
That would have been the right thing to do.
Instead, lame ducks Faron Parr and Jim Zimmerman joined with commissioner Doug Inman in approving the contract, tying the hands of their successors and committing the next set of commissioners to a course of action that two out of three would have opposed.
There’s no doubt that this month’s commissioners took the action they did because they believe it will be in the interests of Jay County. These are people whose record of service to the community is unquestionable.
But when you are a lame duck and when your successor has expressed a contrary opinion, sometimes the best course of action is to do nothing.
The decision belonged, rightfully, to the next set of commissioners. Making that decision now was, by any standard, a mistake. — J.R.
Three Jay County Commissioners gather for their regular meeting.
Among the items before them is a contract, a contract with a guy who specializes in helping local governments get their fiscal houses in order.
The three commissioners had a similar contract with the same guy in 2016, and while some of his advice was followed, a good chunk of it never moved beyond the recommendation stage.
So one could argue that renewing the contract may or may not be a smart decision. That’s very much a judgment call.
But there are a few other factors to consider.
Two of the three commissioners at the meeting are lame ducks. One is retiring from service as a commissioner. The other was defeated in his party primary in May.
And both of the incoming commissioners who will take their seats in January are on the record opposing the government financial adviser and his contract.
Both of them — who would constitute a majority of the commissioners on Jan. 1 — have expressed skepticism about outside consultants in general and this consultant in particular.
Faced with all that, the three incumbents could have simply tabled the matter and left it for the new trio in January. They could have made their case on the record as to why they believe renewing the contract made sense, casting it as advice for the new officeholders.
That would have been the right thing to do.
Instead, lame ducks Faron Parr and Jim Zimmerman joined with commissioner Doug Inman in approving the contract, tying the hands of their successors and committing the next set of commissioners to a course of action that two out of three would have opposed.
There’s no doubt that this month’s commissioners took the action they did because they believe it will be in the interests of Jay County. These are people whose record of service to the community is unquestionable.
But when you are a lame duck and when your successor has expressed a contrary opinion, sometimes the best course of action is to do nothing.
The decision belonged, rightfully, to the next set of commissioners. Making that decision now was, by any standard, a mistake. — J.R.
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