Opinion by Linda Dean Cooper

Those who received the BoCC agenda for the Tuesday, July 2, regular meeting should note an interesting twist to the agenda under Commissioners’ reports.  Commissioners’ reports are mostly commentary by commissioners, no action to be taken, and after the last public comment section.

This smells like another deliberate attempt by County Coordinator Dean, Commissioner John Meeks, with the help of select staff to circumvent Chairwoman Desiree Mills from pushing forward advertising the County Coordinator position. 

Dean’s outburst that he was leaving in or around February at the last budget meeting was a blatant attempt to stop Chair Mills from moving forward with hiring an assistant coordinator. It took six days before HR received Dean’s letter.  It came after the public demanded to see a resignation letter.

Sabotaged Agenda Item?

Mills is listed as the commissioner proposing the agenda item in the supporting documents.  It clearly states it was to be item 12 but it never made it in the body of the Business Items section which is for requesting a Motion/Action. Below is her request:

“Requested Motion/Action: Review the County Coordinator and County Assistant Coordinator job descriptions. Ask HR to make necessary changes, email commissioners amended job descriptions and as long as there are no objections to the changes, begin advertising County Coordinator position immediately.  Discuss the process for interviewing the coordinator and the possibility of holding a special meeting for planning. Discussion on the Assistant Coordinator position.”

County Needs Manager, Not Coordinator

Perhaps Chair Mills will amend the agenda to have the request properly placed on the agenda BUT with one MAJOR change.  This county needs a QUALIFIED MANAGER, NOT A COORDINATOR.  Qualified, talented professionals will never apply to work for this county under the current structure of five commissioners and a coordinator giving them conflicting directions.

Now is the time to restructure this county government, starting at the very top.  Hire a county manager and have that person help select an assistant.  I’ve always operated under the drop-dead provision policy in the chain of command. What if Wilbur Dean is run over by a bus, who is second in command? There is no named assistant coordinator to take charge in a crisis.

Vote Out All Incumbents August 20

Perhaps Meeks should hire Dean as his Bronson Ace Hardware manager if Meeks believes Dean is so talented.  Send Dean down the road in 30 days and Meeks in the August 20, election.  Vote out all the incumbents!

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