We Need Commissioners Who Will Work for Citizens
Submitted to Shelton Blog by Annette McGee Mason County Progressive
It is time that we, the voters, take back the control of our Mason County government.
Responsibility, integrity, honesty, common sense, and full time working County Commissioners that truly represent the citizens are what we need to vote for.
We have had eight years of dishonest or no answers to many questions, reckless spending of our tax dollars, and very little leadership by two commissioners that spend much of the working day away from their office. They have turned their duties over to others and not bothered to answer all phone calls or letters. It appears that they think they are better than others and above the law when they choose not to attend a required meeting on age discrimination, not calling for bids, choosing not to listen to the taxpayer' concerns, spending more money than the County has budgeted in revenues in some years, and other undesirable representation. It seems that they spend much of their time feathering their own nest.
The fights that have gone on between Commissioner Tim Sheldon and Commissioner Lynda Ring Erickson, instead of working for the residents of Mason County, have been almost comical, except it is sad, because it hurts the County as a whole. We have heard too many times, "He said, She said or She said, He said". It almost sounds like kindergartners tattling on each other.
Speaking of age discrimination, the above two Commissioners were caught in an age discrimination lawsuit that was settled in favor of a longtime employee that they fired. Consequently, this cost the taxpayers many dollars, due to stupidity on their part.
These same two Commissioners seem to find a way to increase their own salaries every year, even though they have caused over sixty employees to be laid off, and have not allocated enough money to the Sheriff's budget for public safety, criminal investigations and patrol. They will tell you that they have increased the Sheriff's operations, but ask him the truth.
These same two Commissioners blame staff, other elected officials, or the economy for the problems that they have created.
Another item of interest is that it is a known fact that there have been more lawsuits filed against the County during their tenure in office than in past terms, due to their actions. Some have been settled and some are pending. The most recent one is in regard to bid laws.
They are also the reason that we are in jeopardy of losing our County Fair because they cancelled the fairground's contract four years early and have done nothing to work toward another location, in spite of the law that says County Commissioners are responsible to hold county fairs. Mason County has had a fair for over one hundred years.
Do we want this kind of representation representing us? Please consider your options when voting this year. Let us vote for someone with common sense and who is honest. We need commissioners that will work for the citizens and will serve full time.
It is too bad that we will not see Commissioner Steve Bloomfield's name on the ballot. He is a responsible hard worker who tries to listen to the citizens before making decisions.
SHELTON BLOG NOTE:
Link to KMAS News Voters Guide:
http://masoncountydailynews.com/news/voter-guide-2012
Link to Progressive Voters Guide: 2012 Primary Edition, Mason County
http://progressivevotersguide.com/2012/washington/primary/county/mason/
Welcome aboard, Annette. Each day more “regular folk” are joining the effort to wrest control of our county from self-serving career politicians.
ReplyDeleteBy any measure, the field of candidates is not ideal, but within each is the seed of a new approach to the chronic problems of public safety, jobs and a truly sustainable environment.
Through the adoption of poor (or absent) public policy programs, a small group of “irregular folk” have kept their feet on the neck of our community. It’s not that these people are “bad,” just ill equipped to handle the problems of a rapidly changing world.
Steeped in the history of our county, even more so than timber, is the collective will of strong, independent citizens who battled against the elements to carve out a little piece of paradise. But stagnation of new ideas is quickly turning that paradise into a dearth of public services and positive policy choices.
No matter the candidates who get to fill the three open County Commission seats, we will survive. But if the right choices are made we will thrive.
So let’s not waste any more time. It’s a new day, and new people and ways are needed to move us forward to a promising future.
Sometime change is good.
Annette and Tom are right.
ReplyDeleteThis is an amazing opportunity for the citizens of Mason County - three commission seats up at the same time.
How wonderful it would be if we were to elect three commissioners who put CITIZEN interests first.
I hope our citizen readers will use wisely their powers of choice and elect DENNY HAMILTON and ROSLYNNE REED to help keep Mason County safe and prosperous for the present and for future generations.
I would like to add, electing Lynda Ring-Erickson to a higher office would be a serious error. She continues to divide our citizens, make accusations and to judge and belittle people she is supposed to represent equally. The voters and tax payers deserve better. People that want a clean environment, that live in certain areas, that take an active interest in local decision making are viewed by Lynda as impediments to her egotistical rule. We really need to elect people that want to SERVE the people of Mason County. True leaders LISTEN, then LEAD, they know they don't have all of the answers. Lynda Ring-Erickson and Tim Sheldon are not leaders, they enter politics to promote their agenda and careers, not the needs of the people.
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