Wants a ‘yes’
Elvin D. Perkins
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
TWO MAJOR issues will be decided by the electors of Lyon County on Nov. 7, 2006. Each voter has a responsibility to study and understand the issues involved in question one and question two which appear on the ballot. These questions are companions but need to be reviewed individually as well as collectively.
The operation of Lyon County is a big business and affects all residents of the County whether they reside in Emporia, in other towns in Lyon County or in rural Lyon County. The principal duty of the Lyon County Commission is and should be to decide policy matters. A five member commission will afford a broader representation of the voters, include diverse opinions and thereby reflect decisions which include careful long range values and diminish the possibility of actions based on self interest.
Because the operation of the County business is a business, that operation should be handled like a business. The employment of a professional administrator for the county will afford professional management, resulting in economics and minute and direct oversight of the operations. That type of management cannot be supplied by what amounts to management by committee. Each voter should consider the following hypothetical question: “If I had the responsibility to manage a business with annual revenues of more than $11,000,000 would I choose to have it managed by a committee of three persons, elected by the political process?”
Elimination of managerial duties by the commission will result in substantially less meeting time for the commissioners, thereby reducing compensation required for their services.
A vote “yes” on each of the questions will result in a more representative government, more efficient management and economy of operation of the governmental affairs.