New Computers For County Commissioners
local resident submits via email:
Approximately 6 weeks ago the county administrator in a work shop session with the commissioners presented each of the commissioners a new lap top computer and a nice carrying case. The reaction of the commissioners was that of surprise. Perhaps the comp plan, LDR and ordinances were down loaded on each but that is uncertain for sure. Put all three together and you'll be looking at about one inch or less in a ring binder. The commissioners still are provided in advance copies of all documents concerning matters to be brought before the board in regular session so the computers are not being used for that purpose.
Approximately 6 weeks ago the county administrator in a work shop session with the commissioners presented each of the commissioners a new lap top computer and a nice carrying case. The reaction of the commissioners was that of surprise. Perhaps the comp plan, LDR and ordinances were down loaded on each but that is uncertain for sure. Put all three together and you'll be looking at about one inch or less in a ring binder. The commissioners still are provided in advance copies of all documents concerning matters to be brought before the board in regular session so the computers are not being used for that purpose.
With certain needed services being cut or trimmed in budgetary hearings it is obvious to everyone that revenue is short and that fiscal restraints must be employed across the board. If there was a justifiable need for the computers so be it but in the absence of need this is an example of mismanagement and fiscal irresponsibility on the part of the county administrator and of the commissioners for not questioning the administrators actions.
It can be reasonably assumed that the computers presented to the commissioners were top quality to say the least. Where was the need established, was competitive bidding implemented, who authorized the procurement and where in the record did the commission approve the purchase. You will find nothing in the record. Question - was the county administrator's actions designed to score points with his employer or undertaken for other unknown reasons.
This post asks some fair questions, but it also seems to make the following assumptions:
1. That the commissioners didn't know they were getting the laptops.
This seems unlikely, but it's possible. It's worth finding out.
2. That the computers won't be used to reduce paper consumptions.
Just because both computers and printed documents are being used at the moment doesn't mean that the printed documents won't go away in the near future once commissioners are comfortable with the new technology.
3. That the laptops were expensive.
Prices on these have come way down lately, and a laptop that has enough power to let commissioners read documents, surf the web, and use e-mail can be bought for well under $1,000 each.
4. That competitive bidding didn't take place, but should've.
I don't know what the county's exact policy is, but I'm betting that smaller purchases don't have to be bid out or board-approved. There are five county commissioners, and if the laptops were $1,000 each that would make the total purchase $5,000--an amount I'm sure is small enough to not require bidding or board approval.
I'd like to know more about the technology and how it will be used, but I'm not so cynical as to assume the worst.
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Was there necessity for the purchases or could the commissioners function as they have in the past effectively without them. Irrespective of cost, $5.00 or $5,000.00, if no actual need was established then the funds expended should have been directed elsewhere to where need is obvious. To often government elects to expend tax dollars simply because its there to spend. If we the citizens adopted such a attitude there would be nothing set aside for that rainy day.
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Most organizations--public and private--are phasing out the use of paper in favor of electronic documents where possible in order to save the money spent on copier maintenance, paper, and ink. If that was the county's goal, I'm okay with it.
Also, many counties use a system of board minutes/agendas that allows members to vote electronically using computers at the meetings. This allows minutes to easily be created from agendas, which saves time for the person responsible for those documents. Plus, it can allow citizens to view votes in real-time via the Internet.
I have no idea if the county plans to do this, but it's a possibility.
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This is a new take on opening your meeting packet as the meeting starts....no commissioners, turn on your lap-top! LOL! But seriously, I would think that Brown is attempting to bring the BOCC into the 21st century. You have to wonder about the computer literacy of the BOCC. The cost of said computers was most likely a drop in the budget. Maybe the lap-tops have been gotten from the school district's last project fiasco! LOL!!!
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In other news I hear that people working in the tax collectors office recieved new- BRAND NEW- cushions for their chair!
Seriously people, sometimes you need to relax a little bit.
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Well as I have said all along. This is one of those 6th Commissioner , ( side bar Deals) Jack asked Mr. Parker, , then , Mr. Page , and Mr. Wiggins said OK in a secret meeting after hours...... Mr. Wiggins had a lap top under Chairman Bethay and he looked and acted so much like Clay that he stopped using it.
The computer purchase is Illegal and the 6th Commissioner Mr. Brown has a monolopy on the board . He gets to do what ever he wants. Watch the 3.5 Million dollar vote too. I will bet it will pass. Jack wants it and the three blind mice will give it to him.
The money should be loaned to the school at no interest , after all it is the citizens money. AS you can remember the $600,000.00 did not stop the leak and 3.5 mill will not either. Close it.
Comm. Wiggins said to pay the workers first, well the workers got fired first too. How about cutting the management, stop paying Bill Byrnes to do nothing , and sit on the board too. Double Jeopardy. Mr. Rock is a good book keeper, but he answers to one of the highest paid employees Therapist Mr. Lynn. Who has not had any customers in 6 months, look at the Log, Steve Murphy gets them all, and Mike still gets paid.
Consumer Confidiance is GONE in Taylor County. You must have people to use the machines before you need the machines. We have children in the school who needs the money.
Paul Dyle should cut from the top down too, not the techers , Mt. Thompson, Mr. Clyde Cruce, his secretary, their secertaries too.
IF these two agencies work together the 3.5 million can be found. But sneaky purchases without bidding,
(when the clerk cannot by light bulbs without a PO# and approval from the board ).
Mr. Brown is paid more than any elected official in the courthouse and these officials answers to the people who elected them. All Jack needs is his three friends and he controls the whole county. The citizens should demand him to take a pay CUT to less than the elected officials in the court house. and stop this under the able dealing.
or call the Governors office on all of them. The commissioners should return the illegal lap tops, NOW.........
5 Wrongs do not make the 6th man RIGHT
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I didn't quite follow you here. Why is the laptop purchase illegal?
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I want to this opportunity to respond to questions raised regarding the purchase of laptop computers for the Board of County Commissioners. 1) County Commissioners did know that they were getting laptops, this was not a surprise. It was discussed in previous workshops. Commissioner email is public and open to the public. We have established county email addresses for each commissioner and provided a lap top for them to use so that their personal email isn't mixed up with their county business email or other county documents. 2)Computers will not reduce paper consumption. - Some commissioners only get an electronic copy while some get both a paper and electronic copy. Agenda packets normally range in size from about 150 pages to 400 pages, we send them pdf files, excel files, power point files, etc... that they need to be able to access. They also can use their computers to look at a myriad other information including Florida Statutes, Florida Administrative Code, Department of Community Affairs reports, Attorney General Opinions, Florida Association of County, etc. Searches on the web etc. will be easier to show also for public records request. All email is being archived. When a commissioner leaves and a new commissioner arrives they will have access to all the previous emails, documents, etc for their respective district. 3) The laptops were expensive - The laptops cost $499 each, the memory upgrade for each was an additional $31.64, the expensive cases were $30.82 each but we only had to purchase four as we used the mail in rebate to pay for one of them. 4) Competitive bidding did not take place but should have - All county and state purchasing guidelines were followed. 5) Irrespective of the cost the funds expended should have been directed elsewhere to where the need is obvious. This purchase was made to better help facilitate public records request. 6) This was an illegal purchase - "thelaw" wasn't broken nor was it an illegle purchase. 7) The sixth commissioner - All five of our county commissioners study the issues and vote their personal opinion. I don't tell Commissioners how to vote I do try to provide pros and cons of issues and on options to commissioners that is our job. 8) The money should be loaned to the Schools at no interest. The money in question can only be used for the hospital. It isn't general fund money. It is hospital sales tax money. It can legally only be used for two purposes a) pay off the debt on the hospital or equipment or b) purchase additional equipment for the hospital. The hospital is being paid off as quickly as the law allows. There will be a public hearing and DMH will have to submit a business plan. I have no idea as to whether or not it will pass nor do I have a vote. I appreciate the opportunity to serve the people of Taylor County. All Board meetings are open to the public and invite each of you to attend. If you want to get on the agenda you can by calling 838-3500, ext 7 or speak unscheduled.
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Thank you for this information.
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Thanks for the info Jack, keep up the great work!
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Thanks Mr. Brown for the informaton, but since you were answering all the questions what about the salary cut?
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All options are being looked at in regard to the County Budget. My salary like everything else will be looked at. If we have a salary reduction across the board of course it would only be fair that my salary would be cut as well.
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Well I'm just a dumb ole citizen but I think that's where the cuts should start, I think all the commissioners have other means such as retirement or their positions in our community, while most of the employees must exsist on their meager salaries. I think the problem here is the way you answered the questions posed by thelawsays, we as citizens don't always know the way money is allowed to be spent by law, but we do know massive amounts are wasted. While you Mr. Brown in your well paid position, infer in your answer that the computers didn't really cost that much, 499.00, plus 30.00 for a sack seems like a lot to those of us that work in the public sector, those that are struggling paycheck to paycheck, especially since you didn't even apply for the position utill the salary was raised. I wonder if it's cut will you find greener pastures, for you and your horses.
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Stop beating a dead horse. Mr. Brown is the County Manager. If you thought the job was a piece of cake and you qualified for the position, why in the world did you not apply for the job? Maybe you are "just a dumb ole citizen" like you say. Get over it.
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So all you got out of that comment was that I wanted Jack Browns job, or wanted him to leave, I don't care either way, I want tax dollars spent wisely, surely you know that waste is rampant here in this county, I believe the decison makers should take pay cuts long before making cuts to services or employees. Sorry I offended you.
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Seldom do I express my concerns but in this instance I feel I must. I keep abreast of local happenings as much as I can by using the web to access records and informational items on a regular basis as I am concerned about my county's affairs. The issue of computer purchases for the commissioners and the reasoning for the purchases by the County Administrator is perplexing to say the least. The following points concern me as a tax payer.
1. What account was used to purchase the computers, the administrator's or contingency funds? If the funds were from the county's contingency account it would require a motion and vote by the commission. Did this occur or not? If the funds were taken from the contingency account without a vote by the commission then the purchases were in fact illegal.
2. If the purchase was from the contingency account and was based upon a consensus from the commission during a work shop then the purchases were illegal. Workshops are for general discussion with no official record taken. Matters discussed in a workshop and tentatively agreed upon by consensus are thereafter to be presented to the commission in a regular public meeting for approval. The questions arises, are the commissioners conducting official business in a work shop setting rather than in a duly advertised public meeting?
3.The County Administrator appears concerned that citizen emails or other documents may be mixed with the commissioners personal email accounts. The last time I looked emails are directed to a specific email account and not to the computer itself. Many families as we all know have more than one email account on the same computer. Perhaps the County Administrator should bone up on just how the email process works.
4. As each commissioner has an email address it is apparent they already have a computer or access to one. I can access the agenda packets from the web in PDF format and also the Florida Statutes, Florida Administrative Codes and other informational items referenced by the County Administrator. A couple clicks of my mouse and I'm there and I don't need a separate laptop computer to undertake this task.
5. The County Administrator implies that the laptops will be past on to new commissioners down the road. We all know that a computer purchased today will be practically obsolete in four years. I guess it will be time for another new one at taxpayer's expense.
6. Curious is the statement, commissioner emails are public. Someone please post on the commission web site just how these emails can be accessed.
Really now, just where was the necessity.
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1. Hopefully the county will answer this. I feel very confident that no laws were broken, though. Do you have evidence to the contrary?
2. Tied to number 1. Again, I feel sure that everyone involved in this purchase knows the law and adhered to it.
3. As a citizen, I would prefer if county commissioners kept personal and official business separate. From a security and general policy standpoint, I can see advantages to them using only county-owned-and-configured computers to conduct county business.
4. It could be that not all county commissioners have computers at home, which would limit their access. I like the idea of my commissioner having access to e-mail, documents, etc. from home or on the road.
5. Computers certainly do become obsolete quickly. What's your proposed solution? Stop buying them altogether?
6. Anyone is entitled to make a records request from virtual any public entity in Florida, and e-mail is included among those records. All you do is contact the entity and tell them what you want. You don't even have to tell them who you are or why you want it. Note that depending on the nature of the request, the entity is allowed by law to charge you a fee for fulfilling it.
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It's not that they're computers, it's not that they may or may not have broken the law. Charity giving has been cut back, services are being cut back, the county says they're strapped, can't do anymore, yet they can make a purchase like this, I know there are rules and this can only be spent on that, and so on. I just can't beleive these computers were absolutely necessary at this time. I know that 499.00 doesn't sound like much, and it's not a large part of what is spent, but why spend it. The commissioners are paid for their service, what they recieve more than covers their expenses, if they feel the need for a laptop let them buy themselves one, as far as security, please, these are laptops, taken any and everywhere, and used by who knows who. Also I've seen many many times that "all you have to to is ask a government entity for information and they have to give it to you, you don't have to give them your name or any other information". So I can call the county, tell them I want to send someone to pick up the minutes to the commission meetings, don't say who I am, or any other identifying information, and they will make the copies??? Because any other way wouldn't keep your identity private. I'm not trying to be a smart a-- but really they'll print out information not knowing who it's for.
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I just have a different philosophy on the issue of commissioners having to provide their own computers; I don't believe they should have to pay for this out of their own pockets. Commissioners aren't paid that much to begin with, and I'm betting that in some cases a good chunk of their salary is eaten up just with the cost of running for office.
In terms of laptop security, I wasn't referring to physical security so much as the configuration of the machines. If the county controls the laptops, they can ensure that they have the proper updates/patches installed, have up-to-date anti-virus software installed, and are locked down to prevent the installation of unauthorized programs. Most people's home computers aren't configured this way, and are pretty insecure.
On the records issue, yes--it's really that easy. They must, by law, provide those records whether or not they know who wants them or why they want them. You could even set up an anonymous e-mail address and send your request to them from it, if the records you want are available in an electronic format. This goes for the county, the city, the school district--any agency/entity that's funded by taxpayers.
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Mr.Citizen:
I really appreciate your opinions whether we agree or not, you make good points, however, the commissioners here make a salary comparable to any other county this size, as I understand their salary is set by the state. As far as spending to get elected I don't really understand why that has anything to do with their salary, they decide to run, they must campaign to get the office, they know what the salary is, they do it for the position. I also wonder how long you've lived here, your always so optimstic that no laws have been broken, and that our officials will do everything by the book, if they are it's the first time. But I'm going to give your information a try, I'm going to call the courthouse annex and ask for a copy of Jack Browns application, bet they don't provide it. As far as wanting to remain anonymous, if you've lived here long at all you know that if you openly disagree or offend the powers that be, many times there are retaliatons. Such as not getting a variance from one of the building boards, or maybe the law won't respond quite as fast to your address, it's a small county with concentrated power, always has been.
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I'm a relative newcomer, only being a third-generation citizen of Taylor County.
I don't doubt the possibility that the law has been broken. But since I see no evidence that it has, I'm willing to give the county the benefit of the doubt.
Let us know how your records request turns out.
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TaylorCountyCitizen:: Please let me clear this up for you.
The Commissioners Salary is over
30,000.00 dollars a year plus health Insurance and Life Insurance , The cost of running for office is NO payment up front they get people to sign a petition,so they do not have to pay the qualifying fee, they pay out of pocket at most $5,000.00 at the most (10 signs and a 250 cards ) The commissioners are elected by District , so only a few people 200-300 vote for them. IT is not a County wide race Like the Constitutional Officers run which is expensive, a County wide race cost 25,000 to 30,000.00 dollars .
So the ration for the commissioners is not so bad 5,000.00 for 120,000.00 plus benefits & laptops (30,000 plus x 4 years = over 120, 000.00)
Now you know why they can buy their own DARN lap top and new trucks each year and take trips, live in BIG FANCY Houses and control this county. Money has Power. Commissioners make more than our NEW teachers for a part time job.
2 meetings a month x 12 months you do the math.
Seek and you will find, to be content prior to investigation you will find or know nothing.
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Their salaries are irrelevant; if county commissioners need computers to do their jobs, then those computers should be provided to them whether the commissioners make $3,000 or $30,000 a year.
As for what kind of house they live in or the truck they drive, that's not an issue for me. They invested the time and energy to run for office and win an election. I don't begrudge them for that. Pretty much any of us could've run, too; as you say, it only costs a few thousand dollars.
As for what they do to earn their salaries... Well, I'm reasonably sure the work required of a county commissioner extends well beyond 24 meetings per year.
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Good points by all, however the commissioners, most of them, would benefit by using the lap-top computers. Technology has made governmental entities more efficient and allow for communicating information more consistently. Most people who are anti-technology need to get into the 21st century. A lot of the comments sound like comments made in the late 1980's and early 1990's by people who were not computer literate at the time. Kudos to county staff for using technology!
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I wonder if Kudos will be appropriate when layoffs and cutbacks start. I'm all for technology, but now isn't the time for laptops for the commissioners, let them get their emails and this other information the same way they did last year, there are computers aplenty at county offices, and I'm sure each commissioner has a computer at home, if not use one at one of the offices, I assure you that sometime real soon, someone you know, or maybe even you, will request something from the county, but they won't have the funds to do it, I know that funds can't be used except for what they're intended for, but our citizens are having to cutback and tighten their belts, I think the commissioners can put up with a little inconvienence until things are in better shape, I don't see where this was neccessary right now.
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If you all will just take notice, no matter what the subject it would seem that TaylorCountyCitizen is the first to respond to almost anything ASAP no matter what!TaylorCountyCitizen must sit on top of their computer in order to respond so quickly. Makes me wonder just why that is, and just why he/she always seems to back up all who sits on boards in Taylor County.Evidently TCC is one of them, and has the mentality that it is more important for those commissioners to have their new computers because he/she knows that here in this county it is more important being willing to suck up no matter what the issue is! Also one that does not care in the least about the concerns/well being of our children. My advice for all concerned would not pay attention to that person in the least.especially if you care about the problems in our County! Go elsewhere for your answers.
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Please... This is the 21st century. What white-collar professional *isn't* in front of a computer all the time these days?
As for me being a "suck up", if that were my goal I can think of better ways to accomplish it than to make anonymous posts in an online forum.
And if you think I always back up those who sit on boards in Taylor County, you must not be reading what I've written.
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Right on schedule
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Well, I am going to have to defend TaylorCountyCitizen. He has been a participant on this site from close to the start. He is very knowledgeable and insightful. We have not always agreed, but he is quick to provide an opinion or relevant information, which I welcome because that is one part of what this site is for. I wish a bigger majority of citizens would participate as it would give such a big perspective on different topics. As far as him being "one of them" or a "suck up", I just can not fathom that considering the discussions we have had on here, and would be a total shock if it turned out opposite. I think you are mistaking his opinion or his trust in the laws governing the County or him trying to give them the benefit of the doubt for something else. Granted, I don't have the same optimistic outlook on county government as he does, but I still appreciate his thoughts however quick he provides them and until proven otherwise, I see him as one of the good guys. Thanks for everyone's participation.
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Which ones are white collar professionals? Surely you don't think being a commissioner makes you such.
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"White collar":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-collar_worker
And I was speaking of myself, not the commissioners.
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White-collar crime therefore overlaps with corporate crime because the opportunity for fraud, bribery, insider trading, embezzlement, computer crime, and forgery is more available to white-collar employees.
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Thanks for the information.
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"The more I read and think on the issue of the computer purchases I simply cannot see where need was established. The commissioners have access to all information they need on the web especially the county's web site. They have been able up to now to conduct county business without impediment and I just cannot for the life of me see why suddenly they absolutely need a new laptop. The money spent in these hard times could have been put to better use elsewhere.
For instance, I am an animal lover and have a dog and cat as part of my family and my kids lives and mine have been made a lot fuller with the love received from our pets. I challenge anyone to visit the local animal shelter and look into the eyes of a kitten or pup and tell me that if not adopted you yourself could put them to sleep. All they want is a good home and they will provide a mountain of love for years to come. The money spent on the computers would have went a long way in advertising to find a home for these loving animals. They deserve the gift of life equally as well as you and I. Look into their eyes and tell me the computers were more important. I am very much disappointed in the irresponsible monetary actions of my local government. I hope the commissioners and the county administrator read this blog and we will see if they have a conscious. Lets invite them to the shelter whereas they can be instructed on just how and where to insert the needle.
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Oh they probably read this blog quite regularly, but the answer will be, that the fund the computer money came out of, can't be used for the pound, I assume it could only be used to purchase laptops for the commissioners, but that's the standard answer.
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I just wonder why those commissioners could not buy those laptops out of their own pockets. Check into each and everyone of them and you will see that they can certainly afford a personal laptop if they want one.I guess it is more important for someone that has two jobs to have new laptops bought for them out of tax payers money, than for our teachers to keep their salary's and or their ONE JOB! What we have is a no good bunch of crooks running this so called town! A bunch of democrats that simply do not care about the citizens of Perry, all they care about is their own worthless hides. You citizens should be very careful in what you vote in the next elections here. Get rid of the same old scum and put someone in that cares!
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That's like saying that the Sheriff should pay for his own squad care if he makes enough money, or that the Supervisor of Elections should pay the light bill in her office if she can afford it.
It doesn't matter how wealthy a government employee is; the necessary tools to do their jobs should be provided to them. Now, someone might argue that the laptops aren't necessary. I can understand that argument. But if the laptops ARE necessary, then there's no reason commissioners should have to buy them with their own money.
And keep in mind that the county's budget has nothing to do with the school district's budget. They're totally separate entities. Although that got me thinking... If the county had money available, could it make a donation to the school district?
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Since you seem to know it all, just why don't you run things here? Or just maybe you are one of the ones that has that cow in the ditch....just saying..
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I certainly don't have all the answers--but I do know that the county's spending in no way impacts the school district's budget, and that state employees (including elected officials) generally aren't asked to spend their own money to pay for the necessary expenses of their jobs.
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Teachers were not asked either to spend their own money, but the did many times.
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Why would the commissioners suddenly need laptops, at time when they say there is no money? I believe Mr. Brown stated in his answer that the agenda's would still be printed, he seemed to imply that the commissioners could access their email, and other sites neccessary to their positions, and that the emails could be archived, that seemed to be the main reasoning for them, I know as stated in another message that I'm beating a dead horse, the commissioners have laptops and they will keep them, but from Mr. Browns answer I don't really see the immediate need, seems to me we had the money so we spent it, as usual, because if we don't it will go back and we'll never get it, which is another problem in itself, made by the same people that created the problem of not allowing leeway on spending, which had to be done because if the legislature didn't tell the commissioners where to spend the money they would waste it. Ahhhh a continuous circle of non-responsibility, and wasteful spending. Brought about by laws that were supposed to protect us from what is happening.
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I may be misunderstanding what Mr. Brown wrote, but my interpretation is that right now some commissioners receive paper meeting packets, while others get theirs electronically. It seems to be their choice.
I'm guessing that the goal is to get ALL of the commissioners comfortable enough with technology that they'll be willing to go paperless. If that happens, the county will save money on the paper, ink, electricity, and labor required to make copies of the packets (which apparently range in size from 150 to 400 pages each).
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Yes I've seen those packets and some are quite bulky, I also hope that the commissioners will all adapt to technology, an if and when. I've also seen commissioners opening their packets at the start of the meeting and looking like it's the first time they've seen them. There are computers aplenty at the county offices, want to save money, and paper, get an overhead projector and show the agenda, archaic but it would work. Maybe the commissioners could have familiarized themselves on existing computers to see if they wanted this new technology or it they could even use it, then if the county had a surplus of funds, purchase the laptops. Just a suggestion.
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Hey in re-reading Mr. Browns answer I have another question. The Hospital was financed with bonds, that cannot be paid before maturity, that I understand. There is obviously 3.5 million at least in this account, that has been paid by the sales tax over and above the payments that must be made. Is the money in this account drawing interest, and where does that go, and if at the maturity of the bonds there is a surplus of funds, and the hospital doesn't need any equipment (fat chance, it's there so we must spend), where will that money go, and who will decide. I'm sorry it just seems there's an abundance of money going into this county, what with business licenses, car tags, fines, tickets, property taxes, sales taxes, court costs, hunting, fishing licenses, and anytime you need anything from one of these constitutional offices it probably will cost you. I know some of the license fees are already designated for expenditure but it just seems we aren't getting what we pay for.
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Also that penney sales tax means the Hostpital account is getting 1 percent of all the sales in the county, that's a substantial amount.
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Since voicing my opinion on the computer purchases I have spoken to quite a few folks that also have viewed this web site and surprisingly many of them feel as I do, why the sudden need for new laptops when other more important needs are obvious to many of us? Some of my friends are nurses that plan on attending the next commission meeting so I think I'll just tag along and who knows perhaps one of the commissioners at some point will have the fortitude to say that an error in judgment occurred. I'm sure the county administrator will remain mute.. I ask everyone reading this to "please don't hold your breath" but should one of the commissioners actually step up to the plate and do so then let all of us support him or her next election as honesty and trust in judgment goes a long way in today's society. I love my county but I've said all I can say on the subject so I'll shut up from here on in.
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I don't view the computers as a waste of money, and I doubt the need for them was "sudden" (I suspect is has steadily grown over the past few years, and finally culminated in a purchase). But I definitely agree that folks need to speak up and let their voices be heard by elected officials--whatever the topic is.
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