Three instead of five

To the Editor:

As the June deadline for the county budget approaches, we begin to think of ways to bring in more money. Maybe we could cut some areas and distribute the funds. The Weston County Commissioners could be reduced to three, could become a volunteer job, could receive no mileage or insurance, and the schedule could be reduced to one meeting a month. Actually, this worked well 50 years ago for commissioners N. S. Updike, Homer Pringle, and Willis Bruce. They were very busy, non-partisan, and kind. In later years, Walt Soper circulated a petition to reduce the county commission from five to three — of course, there were not enough signatures to even make the ballot.

My father, Russell Davis, preferred county commissioners who had served on boards first before they jumped at the county commissioner job. He felt one learned a lot about mill levy allocations, budgets, and working with people at that level. Dad served on two boards for a combination of over 60 years.

I have served on a board and worked for the county. I have a vested interest in this county. All four of my great-grandparents lived in this area. And, like those mentioned above, I have learned that throwing more funds at any project or situation isn’t necessarily the best answer.