11/30/2006: "Letters On The Thanksgiving Storm"

--------------------- Chairman Lichter Is Overstepping
To the Editor:

I do believe Mr. Lichter has overstepped his bounds by making decisions regarding whether the county will be open this week. As far as I can see, he had absolutely no authority to make this call. Doing so was stepping on the rope of our new County Administrator. The only consolation is that our three new elected reps start Monday. Things are going to change.

Article 2 Section 2.31 of the Charter reads in part:
"...individual Legislative Body members shall not interfere in the administration of the Executive Branch. They shall not give orders to, or direct, either publicly or privately, any officer, or employee subject to the direction and supervision of the County Administrator, Executive Branch, or other elected officials".

Stephanie Johnson O'Day
Friday Harbor---------------------Why Was County Government Shut-Down?
To the Editor:

Is there anyone out there besides me who is incredulous about the county offices being closed during the recent bad weather. These are not children riding in yellow buses but responsible adults who have jobs to do. Instead, we have the chair of the BOCC again demonstrating his ineptitude and total lack of administrative know how by closing down government even though it was definitely possible for most of its employees to get to work, maybe a little late, but still possible.

Didn't anyone notice that the employees of the grocery stores, lumber yards, restaurants, medical clinics, etc managed to be on the job. Instead, we the taxpayers of San Juan County, will foot the bill for 4 days of time off for roughly 200 individuals (lets hear it for public works and the sheriffs office who were on the job) and it won't even count as sick leave or vacation time.

Never mind the real estate transactions and court filings that didn't get done due to this poorly thought out decision. Its time for a policy change for our county government, to one that more closely resembles the real world i. e. private enterprise. In times of unusual weather, the employee is expected to try and find his or her way to work, and if its not possible, then they can take a sick day or vacation day so that there will be no financial loss.

That's real life with the customer (read in this case the general public) in mind. It was interesting to observe that a few "critical" employees made it in on the Thursday so that payroll could be done. Ah well, priorities.

John Bird,
Friday Harbor

PS Large kudos to the Opalco Employees for another job well done under adverse circumstances.