JANUARY 23, 1006

In the news again is the continuing story of the generators.   The generator problem just won't go away.  Thank goodness we only have 30 left to find. 

 The good news is that we know who signed for the generators.  Chester Jordan of the EOC.  Mr. jordan signed for  217 generators on september 30th so evidently all were received by this county.  Unfortunately a list of serial numbers were not recorded  when the county took posession and the vendor didnt list serial nunbers for the generators either.   this has made the auditors job difficult.  He identify and  verifying the where abouts of these generators using other means. 

Purchasing generators for outside counties could be considered misapropriation of funds. The taxpayers of this county should  not have  been put in the position of  paying the bill for  other counties.  

 The good news is that these other counties have owned up to their responsibility and given the generators back.  At least some of them have.   I guess we will have to settle for 75% reimbursement of the cost of these generators, which means this counties  taxpayers  loose money on this deal.  A deal mr. griffith set up. 

This brings us to the unit road system once again being discussed.      I was glad to see  the two members of the citizen steering committee come  to the same conclusion I came to and spoke to this court about  last year.   The unit road system will cost this county more money.

Let's not forget that any supposed or projected savings this county might have will go directly to pay the bills of the entertainment complex ford park.  As did the amount of money any department had in overages and any pay raise the county employees would have been getting for the past three years. 

In reality dozens of jobs would be cut and additional positions would be created with higher salaries.  Taxpayers would no longer have 4 people to go to when a problem comes up with our roads and bridges.  This system would create bigger county government.  Less accesability to an additional layer of  burocracy. More red tape.  less service.  layers of middle management and No satisfaction for the taxpayers.  and increased salaries. 

i dont know how many phone calls are received by commissioners about the roads now, but multiply that times 4 with one person having the responsibility of returning those calls. 

Any time you have centralized government power, More money is spent.  This county has barely come through 10 years of dwindiling financial security.  we are at a cross roads.  To adopt a system that would give one individual manmouth power over this county  would be devastating. 

The unit road system would cause  a constant struggle between the taxpayers and who hold the balance  of power in this county.   There are thousands of unhappy taxpayers that signed the tax petition they have not forgotten why it was signed.