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| There is a debate afoot: Some folks believe only retirees, business-owners, or those that are independently wealthy should be able to serve on Boards, Councils, and Commissions. That would unfairly inhibit the potential service of working-class, working-age candidates, though. It is for this reason that the vast majority of non-wealthy, working-age Board, Commission, and Council Members maintain their careers through their years of public service. To demand otherwise would simply serve as a punishment for public service. |
Lately there has been some rumblings online about the level of engagement a commissioner, a board member of the Escambia County Commission, should have. Specifically--is the position of a County Commissioner a full-time, or a part-time position?
Because I am entering my 13th year as a member of a locally-elected public board of directors (Escambia County School Board-2006 until 2016, Escambia County Commissioner 2016-present) I know the answer from my perspective--based upon my own experience and also based upon the inputs I gleaned from meeting peers from around the country at statewide and national conferences over the past 13 years.
If an individual is truly serious about being effective and knowing his/her role in the hierarchy-I believe the answer to the Part-Time/Full Time question about board membership is this:
It is a part-time job that requires more than full-time hours and commitment to the position .
But what does that mean, you ask? Well, I will explain it from my perspective but first I would encourage the readers to look at this nicely done, easy to read two-pager from the National Association of Counties (NACO). And then this interesting piece from the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG).
Interestingly--both of these publications refer to the job as "part-time" with the caveat that the position is actually "on-call" 24-7, 365--which I can attest to being a true statement.
So here is my philosophy on this issue. A person that steps up and takes on the challenge to run for an office, win an election, and serve his community should not be "punished" for his public service by having to quit his/her business or resign from his/her career.
Most rational folks understand this. Yes, the pay for our work is excellent. But it is set by the state--just as the salaries for School Board Members, Sheriff's, Property Appraisers, and other constitutional offices are set by formula set in statutes. Candidates are well aware of the pay before they run. If they win, they get the emoluments of the position--including the paycheck...with neither the expectation that they resign from their careers nor the requirement to do so-which is as it should be.
And this is why the majority of the folks of working-age that serve their communities on Councils, Boards, and Commissions work a regular job as well or own their own business, or are independently wealthy. Looking at the two county area (Escambia and Santa Rosa) seven of the ten currently-seated County Commissioners derive income from work outside of their BCC seats (Attorney, Auto Mechanic, Financial Planner, RE Salesman, Navy Contractor Employee, Navy Reservist, Construction Company Owner), two are retired and earn pensions (USAF and Gulf Power), and ONLY ONE (10%) is a true full-time County Commissioner--only deriving income from his BCC salary.
So should a person who has a career or an income from employment outside his elected seat with an employer that is willing to support such an employee's public service be shamed into "quitting" his career for for a 4-year job that does not require the presence of that official from 8-5PM M-F? Of course not--because to have that mindset would 1.)
