To the editor:
At this point, what are the budget priorities of the majority of the BOC (board of commissioners)?
First, a brand new SUV for their brand new interim county manager. In addition to paying a rookie interim county manager much more in salary and benefits than the experienced county manager he replaced, the majority is planning to present him with a brand new big car.
County Manager Ryan Whitson used cars retired by the sheriff’s department or by other county departments. Not this UNconservative majority; brand new SUVs are the order of the day. Another one, goes to the building inspections department, whose work has been down since the beginning of the great recession.
When the department of social services asked for replacement of one child welfare position that has been held vacant for a couple of years, and which has been badly needed to be filled with all the child abuse – including child sexual abuse – occurring in Polk County, what did the majority say? “No.” Looks like the children, particularly the abused children of Polk County, aren’t one of the majority’s favored constituencies.