Soul-Searching for a Solution.....And I found One!

The board of county commissioners needs to be a part of the solution to fixing the morale issues in our own organization.  I am all in on this--we can't take the loss of any more key players.  So I did some soul-searching, some research, and some talking to those who know more than I.  And I'm bringing a proposed ordinance next month that will help us as board members to help ourselves--and to help treat our staff professionally and allow them to do their jobs.

We have a couple of disturbing issues in the County right now that must be addressed.

Number One is the EMS/Public Safety Investigation that is ongoing.  This is an important matter that, once fully investigated and briefed to the board, will be addressed in the strongest of fashion.  I have confidence in that.  And I do believe several of the resignations we have sustained recently are and will be found to be directly attributable to that issue.  Additionally--the state investigation, once completed, will illuminate some competing allegations that have not been disclosed publicly as of yet and of which the general public is currently unaware.  So I urge, in the strongest manner possible, everyone to stop speculating and allow the investigation to run its course and allow staff and the board to determine appropriate course(es) of action ONCE ALL FACTS ARE FULLY KNOWN.  The mosh-pit of media speculation and innuendo that is being whipped up by those with agendas SERVES NO GOOD PUBLIC PURPOSE.  Remember--there are multiple sides to this issue.
 
But an equally troubling phenomenon that has also been a contributing factor in our large number of our resignations recently is the way our administrative staff is treated by the board.

So like I told Chorus Nylander on Channel 3 the other day--I have taken the last several days to do some soul-searching.  I have also reached out directly to several current and former high-level county staff.  Some are not mincing words:  "Jeff, the board holds us accountable and expects us to be perfect--but the board itself is not perfect--nobody is perfect.  The board holds us accountable, but who holds the board accountable?"  Said one recently departed employee.  "I can't take the attacks[from the board]" said another. 

In conversations with these and other folks over the last several days, the disturbing reality takes shape.  Staff is directed by board members and this creates tension among the staff and between other commissioners.  Critical decisions that are necessary to be made by commissioners so staff can move forward are not made by commissioners--leaving staff in a holding-pattern.  "Then is some instances--staff will be blamed for this inaction!?!"  said a former staff member with whom I spoke.

"Listen, staff can't do their job if they are being yanked around and told what to do and when to do it"  said a frustrated former staffer.  "Commissioners must recognize and respect that we are the ones that are tasked with day to day operations--not them.  Use the process, put in work orders, and let the staff do their job and priority order the jobs---and don't beat the staff up publicly--and morale will improve." said this individual.

"Otherwise, there is no way you are going to be able to hire another administrator--who would work under these conditions?  And believe me, any that are on the short list are watching and reading up on the board, watching the meetings, and they know about you before you even ask them the first question!"

So, in order to not set our next administrator and asst. administrator up for failure, and to try to foster some sense of order into the way the board treats its administrator and staff--I looked at what other counties are doing to reign-in individual commissioners that want to run the staff and drive day to day operational decision making.  We already know what the duties are for Administrators and Commissioners--this is delineated in statutes.  But in some instances the lines are blurred and this is problematic so it is time to get back to basics, in my opinion, and to put a tool in our tool-kit that will allow the board as a whole to insure staff is not micromanaged and that work is not directed, unlawfully, by INDIVIDUAL commissioners.  Several counties have come up with a clever way to do this.  According to an out-of-the area leader with whom I spoke yesterday evening, "You pass it as an ordinance, not a policy.  policies can and are ignored, but an ordinance has the force and effect of Law."  he stated.  "And this one works!"

So I took that ordinance, and I am sending it to our acting administrator and our county attorney TODAY and I will ask that it be brought it to the first meeting in May for consideration by the full board.  I hope I can get three votes to enact this because this ordinance, if implemented locally, will in and of itself be a signal to current and future administrative staffers that we are serious as a board about staying out of day to day operations.  Because under this ordinance there could be consequences (financial and/or legal) for any commissioner that doesn't stay in his "swim-lane."