BOC to become efficient by doing the minimum required

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BOC to become efficient by doing the minimum required

The County Manager made a BIG issue of “Efficiency” at the January 17^th BOC meeting. We heard the word so much during that meeting that we finally understood efficiency is the reason for everything that goes on now. We have work sessions because they are more efficient—because no one has to take minutes and keep up with what’s going on. The County Manager also said Curbside was inefficient; the new (reformatted) minutes were efficient. The work sessions would be efficient and the new charter (enabling legislation) would make everything more efficient. The new CFO would also be efficient. If the County Manager liked it or wanted it, it was efficient; if not, it was inefficient.

The County Manager also talked about what HAD to be done and what didn’t have to be done. He stressed the MINIMUM is all that the BOC should do when it came to meeting minutes, public hearings, etc. Not what the public wants or expects, but only what the minimum required. When Comm. Pennamon asked about public hearings before the BOC for zoning ordinance changes, the County Manager told him is wasn’t required. Comm. Pennamon reiterated that he thought it should always come before the BOC and let the public comment to the BOC about it since the BOC has the last say. The County Manager asked Comm. Pennamon if that’s what the Board wanted or if they just wanted to do what was required by law (the minimum). It was obvious the County Manager thought it would be “inefficient” to hold more public hearings since they weren’t required to do so. We saw this type of thing over and over and wondered who was really in charge. The County Manager definitely dominates the meetings and tells the BOC what is going to be done. Comm. Pennamon did not make a motion to have public hearings on Zoning ordinances in the future, so there probably won’t be any before the BOC.