Page 4
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, May 7, 2003
Resign ... Charter change plan
(Continued from page 1)
(Continued from page 1)
that first, this proposal has
been wisely turned down by
voters in the past.
“Overall it’s an effort to
diminish the influence of our
commissioners,” said the
chairman, “and that’s pre-
cisely what it would do. And
especially important is that it
would diminish influence and
authority of our county com-
missioners on the state and
federal levels.
“It’s one of the most im-
portant aspects of our jobs,”
said Brock, “as nearly 70 per-
cent of the county is public
land. We spend a lot of time
on lobbying efforts in Salem
and Washington, D.C.” He
noted that had it not been for
such efforts, the county would
not be receiving $11.5 million
in O&C (timberland) funds,
but would have received a lot
less.
“It’s a big concern,” said
Brock. “We don’t want to di-
minish the influence of Jose-
phine County outside its bor-
ders, and you’re not going to
get volunteers to influence
legislation.”
Brock said that the author-
ity and influence of govern-
ment in Oregon has “a history
of evolving over time. It is a
form of government,” he said,
“that represents the history of
Oregon.” Having a county
manager, he added, wouldn’t
maintain that history, as nei-
ther that person nor volunteer
commissioners would be able
to maintain legislative influ-
ence.
Brock, in his second term,
said that better efficiency and
cost-effectiveness would not
result from a new charter, as
backers of the planned change
say. Regarding efficiency, he
said that it’s been difficult to
find people to run for three
seats, let alone seven. He said
that the county board works to
treat Illinois Valley as a spe-
cial place, and that a seven-
member board, even with one
person specifically elected to
represent the valley, would
not do as good a job as cur-
rently.
In addition, Brock said
that voters need to be aware
that under the charter pro-
posal, they would not be able
to vote for three of the seven
commissioners. Other con-
cerns given by Brock, speak-
ing for himself and his two
fellow commissioners:
*Under a county adminis-
trator, citizens would not have
good access to register com-
plaints as now, because the
administrator would be in
charge of hiring and firing;
not the commissioners.
*Citizens would not have
much say in the hiring or fir-
ing of a county manager.
*The change in the charter
would serve to maintain and
even foster the status quo,
rather than allowing flexibility
that exists now.
*A new bureaucracy
would result, costing possibly
more than the current three
commissioners. A county ad-
ministrator would need an
assistant, secretaries and likely
other staff, Brock said.
*The quality of volunteers
would not be so good because
of the nominal pay. “The re-
tired, the wealthy and those
with special interests would
come forward,” said “leaving
out young entrepreneurs like
me and Jim Riddle.”
*Because the charter
change proposal was
“conducted in secret,” it left
the public out, and it would
have better to have public in-
put. “It’s just a straight power
play,” said Brock.
*The brochure put out by
the group seeking the charter
change contains misinforma-
tion.
he can determine from check-
ing county records, there has
been no charter review com-
mittee as stipulated by the cur-
rent charter.
Another of the commit-
tee’s major “selling points,”
Smith indicated, is that each
commissioner now receives
annual salary and benefits to-
taling $94,118 or a total of
$282,356. If the charter
changes are OK’d by voters,
each of the seven commission-
ers would be paid $6,000 an-
nually ($500 per month) and
there would be no benefits. No
changes could be made with-
out voter approval, said Smith.
Other employer costs
would result in a total of
$45,297; with a total annual
outlay for the seven commis-
sioners of $87,297. This
would result in an annual sav-
ing of $195,059 when com-
pared with the salaries and
benefits under the current
charter.
Smith said that the admin-
istrator’s salary would be set
by the board, “but the esti-
mated annual savings should
be at least $100,000.”
He said that, “The current
charter initially was adopted
in 1981 and no longer reflects
the priorities of the citizens of
Josephine County. Many sur-
veys and studies conducted
through the years showing
what we, the citizens, consider
important, but those recom-
mendations have been mostly
ignored.
“Fiscal irresponsibility,
inefficiency and politics
should no longer be allowed
to exist in our county govern-
ment. The new charter will
give the citizens a stronger
voice in how our county is
administered,” said Smith.
The committee, he added,
asks, “Has our money been
spent according to the priori-
ties we have shown, in one
survey after another, to be
most important to us?”
The county’s fiscal year
budget is approximately $102
million, said Smith. “About
$15 million is now put in a
discretionary fund under the
complete control of the com-
missioners,” he said.
“Currently,” he continued,
“no one person is responsible
for putting together the entire
county picture. An administra-
tor will provide consistency,
efficiency and financial stabil-
ity. The person hired as ad-
ministrator would serve at the
will of the commissioners,
with a selection committee
consisting of three commis-
sioners and four non-office
holding citizens.
“The administrator’s con-
tract would be for no more
than three years, and his or her
performance would be re-
viewed annually. We need
more expertise to administer
our tax-funded multimillion
dollar business.”
A tiger’s paw prints are
called pug marks.
Some are questioning
whether a sufficient number of
qualified persons could be
found to run for the seven
commission seats. However,
Smith noted that organizations
including Three Rivers School
District, Rogue Community
College School District,
Grants Pass School District,
and Grants Pass City Council
have no difficulty in that area,
and that those volunteers re-
ceive neither pay nor benefits.
Each of the current board
members, including Jim Rid-
dle, elected last year, would
complete their terms; Harold
Haugen and Jim Brock will
need to run for re-election
next year.
The four new commis-
sioners, to comprise the
seven-member-body, each
would serve four-year terms.
At the expiration of their
terms, two of the district com-
missioners would run for two-
year terms, and two of the at-
large candidates would run for
four-year terms, said Smith.
“The people are out
there,” he said. He indicated
that many qualified persons,
including retired persons and
those in business, would
rather serve their communities
part time, rather than the cur-
rent full-time situation now.
He said that besides ignor-
ing the “wants” indicated by
citizens to commissioners,
either past or current, they
have “wasted money” on such
surveys. Smith said that the
county has no central purchas-
ing plan, which means that
money that could be saved
through group-buying is lost.
He said he found that a
Hood River organization,
hired approximately two years
ago, was “fired with only 65
percent of its work finished.”
He stated that the dismissal
was due to the fact that in its
preliminary report, the organi-
zation noted “a lack of profes-
sional certification” among
commissioners, and that it
noted they could be “a more-
effective team if they didn’t
gang up on each other.” In
addition, he said, the group
was aiming for better fiscal
management and streamlining
in areas including personnel.
“We keep hearing that
more money is needed to run
the county,” said Smith. “We
do not believe that. Instead,
we believe that efficiency,
better accountability and com-
mon sense are needed. We and
others believe that the county
long overdue for a drastic
change.
“Our commissioners have
wasted millions of dollars
foolishly and idiotically,”
Smith said. “Our parks are
deteriorating, the sheriff’s of-
fice and other county opera-
tions take major financial hits:
This continuing process has to
end. We need a new charter to
accomplish these aims,” he
concluded.
POTTERY OPEN HOUSE - Stephanie Friedman (left) held an open house on Saturday, May 3 at
her new Cone Ten Pottery Studio & Gallery. Among those attending and working with clay
were Briana Bode, 11, (center) and Kia Parrish-Haim, 8. The new business is in the former
Goodwill building, at 360 Caves Hwy., across from Pietro’s Italian Restaurant. Classes are of-
fered, and items are available for sale. For more information phone 592-4646.
YARD/TENT - INSIDE SALE
Health & Beauty Aids/Groceries
Stuff & Junk
*Pantene Pro V Shampoo & Conditioner
Assorted Varieties - 6.8 oz. - 13.5 oz. - $1.50 - $2.50
*Clairol ‘Nice ‘n Easy’ Hair Color
Assorted Varieties - $3 each
*Vidal Sassoon Hair Care Products
Bring your favorite pet to the
7th annual PET PARADE
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Registration from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Don’t forget to dress up your pet!
5.1 oz. - 8.5 oz. - $1.25 each
*Crest Toothpaste
multi-care, tartar control, extra whitening,
baking soda & peroxide, rejuvenating effects
3.75 oz. - 8.2 oz. - 50-cents & $1.75 each
*Pampers Mega Packs - Size 2 Swadders
84 pack - $15
*Ultra Dawn dishwashing detergent
12.6 oz. - $1 each
*Super Moist cake mixes
selected varieties - 3 for $1
*General Mills & Kellogg’s Cereals
Buy 3 GET 1 FREE
18254 Redwood Hwy., Selma
Co-sponsored by Illinois Valley Early Childhood Coalition Family Foundation, Early Head Start &
Head Start of Southern Oregon, Commission for Children & Families, Early Intervention, Dome
School, Project Baby Check, I.V. Safe House Alliance, Dept. of Human Services and Self Suffi-
ciency. With help from: Karen’s Child Care, Southern Oregon Public Television, I.V. Lion’s Club,
Wildlife Images, Oregon Caves, Key Club and Kiwanis.
For more information phone Suzan at 592-3259