Bringing It Home

In deference to fellow bloggers who are beginning to complain of overload in the blame game I'm going into warning mode. I'm concerned with what's going on at our very own county level. Regarding the human resorces department flap, who's in charge and who appointed each elected head of a department it's sole arbiter?

Being married to a human resources professional I've a journeyman's knowledge of the subject. More I dare say than our commissioners show. The Ada County model is a better direction. I won't repeat all the quotes in Thursday's CDA Press column regarding such but they smack of self interest and cronyism. Balance employee rights with the elected officials?? What's that about? If ever it was time to look for professional management and part time commissioners it is now. If the employees that work in these departments work for the county than the county bears the responsibility. With the county expected to continue growing as it is, professional management should be mandatory. Not the the current commissioners aren't doing their best - but therein lies the problem. They've Peter Principled out. You businessmen out there who've touched on this before - take up the gauntlet and run with it.

It's a power struggle" says Katie Brodie. " Isn't that silly?..." Now there's leadership for you. Why won't Rocky Watson, Bill Douglas and Mike McDowell release their employee records to human resources? Is there something we should know? Like inequities? They are elected officials and can be voted out of office. Their departments however will continue on. These are not individual fifedoms though they often appear to be as does the troika of commissioners themselves.

One last thing I'm so tired of hearing about - cost savings. Infrastrucure costs money. You know the term when you pay peanuts you get monkeys? How can any of the people in this article dare talk about cost savings when they've just voted themselves rather healthy raises over and above what the study showed to be prudent? And by real world standards the study's recommendations were high.

The Katrina Syndrom - shifting the blame for obvious incompetence. Well folks, when we let it get started at the local level cronyism and political paybacks allow it to rise to the top. And it ain't cream.