By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
On Tuesday, Sept. 9, Houston County residents will be asked to pare down the field of 13 candidates running for three county commissioners seats to six. The opening of three commissioner seats has created quite a bit of interest in county politics.
The terms of two 16-year incumbents, Larry Graf from District 1 and Ann Thompson from District 3, and four-year incumbent Tom Bjerke of District 5, are up for election this fall. Graf and Thompson announced earlier this summer that they would not seek another term, while Bjerke has filed for re-election.
Four persons have filed for the District One position, six have filed in District Three, and three have filed in District Five.
To better acquaint the voters of Houston County of the 13 candidates, The Caledonia Argus sent out a questionnaire. The following is the set of questions posed to the candidates, and their responses:
1. The proposed criminal justice center (CJC) is probably the most controversial issue the county has faced in many years. Do we need a new jail? Do we need a facility as large as the current design? Where should the new CJC be located?
2. The county is proposing to build a new highway department headquarters. Is this necessary? If so, should it be built large enough to include other departments? Where should this be located?
3. Lack of space in the 125-year-old courthouse is another major issue. What measures do you feel need to be taken to improve this situation?
4. Many counties are combining departments. The current county board has discussed combining the auditor and treasurer’s departments. What is your feeling on this issue? Are there other departments that could be combined?
5. Zoning is another hot topic in Houston County. Do you feel current zoning laws are too restrictive, too lax, or workable the way they are?
6. Why are you running for county commissioner?
DISTRICT ONE
Gregory Husmann, 60, La Crescent, a resident of Houston County for 50 years, 1966 graduate of La Crescent High School, U.S. Army (two years), served in Vietnam. Employed with Mn/DOT for 36 years, including past 30 years as transportation supervisor. Member of the La Crescent American Legion Post 595 for 39 years, currently the Commander of VFW Post 11542, a member of the La Crescent City Personnel Committee, and past committee member of the La Crescent Library Committee.
#1) Yes, we do need a new jail. It should be large enough to serve the current needs as well as reasonable future needs. I believe we can work with the City of Caledonia and build the facility on the property that was purchased in Caledonia for that purpose.
#2) The Houston County Highway Department building is in need of replacement. It is a necessary and vital part of our county services. This building also needs to be large enough to serve current needs as well as future growth. If the current location isn’t large enough, then other locations should be considered. I do believe it needs to stay in the Caledonia area.
#3) With two new county facilities in the works, we need to consider whether any courthouse services could be combined with one of the new facilities. This is a prudent consideration when taxpayer dollars are being spent.
#4) Combining departments is a good thing if it makes sense and serves the citizens. I would want to keep this option open.
#5) I have had discussions with people on both sides of the zoning issue. I believe zoning laws are important, but I also believe in land owner rights. With the amount of concern regarding zoning issues, I do think a review of the current zoning laws is needed. I cannot say we are too lax or too restrictive without more research.
#6) I am running for the position of county commissioner because of my involvement and interest in local politics. I am currently serving on the La Crescent City Council. My years in politics have been both rewarding and challenging. It’s always rewarding when people say “thanks for looking into my problem” or “nice job”. I do not have a personal agenda, but intend to do my best to represent the citizens in District 1 as well as all citizens of Houston County. I will make my feelings known, promote citizen involvement, and hold accountable those that I am responsible for as a County Commissioner.
Robert W. Reider, 54, La Crescent, life-long resident of Houston County, La Crescent High School graduate, attended Winona State University (four years), graduate of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, member of the Sons of the American Legion and a past member of La Crescent Community Education Board, La Crescent Rotary Club and Co-Chair of the Lancer Booster Club. Retired Chief Deputy Sheriff.
#1. The current jail is too small. We need a new jail. I do believe there might be some alternatives to the current size and location of the jail (south of the courthouse). I would like to see the stats on how many prisoners we house a day in a one year period of time to determine the amount of bed space needed for current and future needs. I think the jail should be connected to the courthouse.
#2. I would like to see the old facility up close and yes if it can include other departments to free up needed space of other departments. If possible, on the current site of the old one. Again I would like to see the final costs of building a new highway headquarters as to fixing up the old. Maybe it is not possible to remodel the old.
#3. I think the whole issue of the jail, highway department, and courthouse should be looked at from several different positions to determine what can be done so as not to burden the taxpayers all in a few years. It’s interesting to me that the last 30 years have gone by and now all of a sudden there is no space. The jail is 150 some years old. The courthouse is 125 years old. I think our past commissioners have fallen down on infrastructure. Building all this at one time would be a huge burden on the taxpayers of Houston County.
#4. If the combining of the two departments is going to help the county save money and be more efficient then it sounds like a valid thing to do. I would like to get an idea of how other counties and the cost difference on combining the two.
#5. I would like to see all 87 county zoning laws in the state of Minnesota. If Houston County is the most restrictive, then I say we should take another look at them.
#6. I am a retired Chief Deputy Sheriff for Houston County and during that tenure I was involved in the operation of the Sheriff’s Department budget. In my opinion, I have the experience needed to discuss your concerns and help in any way I can. I will work to open the doors for better communication between our cities and the county. I feel the current plan for the Criminal Justice Center will be a huge burden on the taxpayers of our county and I can offer new ideas for that structure.
I believe one of my most important jobs will be to control rising taxes in the county. With higher energy costs affecting everyone, we need to keep an eye on our spending, live within our budgets and remember the taxpayers of our county and our responsibility to listen to them.
John E. Meyer, 56, La Crescent, employed as a tool & die maker at Luxco, Inc. for 36 years, and a resident of La Crescent for 31 years. Member of the La Crescent Fire Department for 26 years, currently serving as fire marshal, past positions held: assistant fire chief and captain. Currently an ex-officio member for the La Crescent Planning Commission, Southeastern Minnesota Emergency Medical Service - Pre-Hospital Advisory Committee 20+ years, past chair, currently serving on the board, lifetime member of Gopher State Sportsmans Club – served as past president, and board member, coaches Youth Trap Shooting.
#1. I have attended a committee meeting in regards to the Criminal Justice Center to learn more about the details. In my opinion, yes, we do need a new jail and the design of the building will be functional and a conservative design, yet, will meet Houston County’s needs in the future. I believe the most economic location would be in the proximity of the current court house in Caledonia.
#2. As for the Highway Department building - this building as I understand, was built in the 1930s and is not meeting the county requirements. I believe that other departments could be housed there as well as some office space. The location should be kept in the Caledonia area.
#3. I have to agree with some of the current county commissioners, that some office space could be rented or purchased offsite and some of the stand alone departments, such as, nursing services, could use this space.
#4. Combining some departments within the existing court house would streamline operations and make things more efficient.
#5. Zoning is a topic no one likes to address unless it is in their favor. But I believe any civilization needs rules. The current county zoning regulations were put in place in approximately 1967 and are revisited every 10 years by the commissioners and I believe they are effective as is.
#6. I am running for county commissioner because it is my chance, as a working person, to represent all the working people within the county. I have a common sense approach to solving problems and a conservative nature. The rule I live by is one taught to me, by my father. His comment was always “live within your means.”
Jack Miller, 63, resident of La Crescent for 33 years, married to wife Janet for 34 years. Has a BS from UW-L - English/Sociology double major, MS from UW-L - Student Personnel Services. Served in the US Army. Was administrator of Viterbo College for 10 years and Manager of Aramark Services for 22 years. Currently retired. Civic/government organizations: former three-term mayor of La Crescent; former Applefest board member; former board member of Bethany Lutheran Homes; former council member of Prince of Peace Church; former Sunday School teacher at Prince of Peace; former Rotary member (32 years) recipient of prestigious Paul Harris Fellowship Award. Current: La Crosse Riverfest Commodore since 1994; Mt. La Crosse Ski Patrol, 15 year member; Part-time driver, Ready Bus; volunteer Neighbors in Action, La Crescent.
#1. The need for a new jail is controversial mainly due to the size and cost of the proposed Law Enforcement Center. I feel that government, at all levels, often goes for the “home run” when a “double” would do the job. Having worked in private industry for the past 22 years, I feel well qualified to use knowledge gained there to make space and personnel suggestions in this area. Private businesses don’t have the luxury of passing costs on to the taxpayer and are forced to live within their means, just like homeowners. Government, especially in tough economic times needs to be very sensitive to the tax burden they propose.
I feel that further thought concerning the size of the new facility being planned, with a reduction in size and cost being the goal, would make it easier to locate in Caledonia.
#2. The issue of a new highway department headquarters is a tough question without having complete information available to me presently. I will say that the proposed land purchase acreage seemed large to me. I am not against this facility if a true need exists. My interest would center on cost of new versus upgrading the current location. I plan to tour the current facility in the near future, which would allow me to make more informative comments on the need for a new facility.
#3. I read with interest the recent article concerning courthouse space. I was struck by the fact that legal records were overflowing throughout most offices. I am wondering, in this age of technology, whether any of these records could be saved in other ways. I would also suggest the rental of secure storage for records rather than relocating offices.
#4. I favor combining offices when it makes sense cost-wise without reducing efficiency. There may be opportunities to utilize fewer support staff if departments are combined. Without closely examining the current departments, I don’t feel qualified to suggest specific departments that could be combined.
5. Not having been affected by current zoning restrictions, I can only speak from the experiences others have shared with me concerning the law. I want very much to review the 40 acre building restriction since, in its current form, it has created situations that restrict people whose plans would not be environmentally harmful.
6. I am running for county commissioner to offer District 1 a strong, experienced voice in tough economical times. La Crescent has experienced a lot of growth in the past 10-15 years and comprises the major population center of the county. County spending and decisions on spending should reflect this fact.
I feel my three terms as La Crescent’s mayor, along with private business management experience and many civic organization responsibilities, strongly qualify me to represent District One in a manner citizens deserve.
DISTRICT THREE
Robert Augedahl, 60, Caledonia, resident of Houston County entire life. Attended University of Iowa and WWTC. Employed as a paramedic, member of the Caledonia Ambulance Service, Caledonia Fire Department, and served as mayor of Caledonia for eight years.
#1. I believe we do need a new jail, however, I do not believe that it would have to be as large as the current design as planned. I think we need to reassess where the county could cut back and save some money on this project if the jail is constructed. I believe the CJC should be constructed close to the current jail.
#2. The county is proposing to build a new Highway Department headquarters, is this necessary? I do not have enough information on this question to make an informed decision at this time. If so, should it be built large enough to include other departments? That could be a possibility, but would depend on cost. It would make sense to be part of the highway department if doing so would save the taxpayers money.
#3. Lack of space in the 125 year-old courthouse, what measures need to be taken to improve this situation?
#4. By possibly combining departments and if a new highway department headquarters is built are both possible solutions to the space issues. Many counties are combining departments, the current county board has discussed combining the auditor and treasurer’s departments, what is your feeling? If this would amount to a tax savings to my constituents, I would be in favor of this issue. Are there other departments that could be combined? I think in the future, there could be other departments combined. Again if there would be a tax savings to my constituents, I would be in favor of this.
#5. Zoning is another hot topic in HC, do you feel current zoning laws are too restrictive, too lax, or workable the way they are? I realize there are many zoning laws and perhaps some of them should be changed. I would be in hopes that the Houston County Board could work with people on their land rights. Constitutional rights are fundamental in establishing zoning laws in my opinion.
#6. Houston County will be making many important decisions over the coming year, many of these issues are large capital projects with significant tax dollars behind them, I believe we need to have commissioners who will listen to their constituents, become very informed on the issues and be very conservative with taxpayer dollars. I decided to run for county commissioner, because I believe I have the knowledge and experience to make a difference in county government.
Dick Kleist, 65, Caledonia, retired master carpenter, has lived in Houston County for six years. Attended U of M Ag School at Waseca, four years in the Air Force. Worked for city of Sierra Vista, AZ. President of Employee Association and committee member of employee classification commission at Cochise Community College, Sierra Vista, AZ.
#1. Yes, we need a new jail, mandated by the state department of corrections. The size has been mandate by the state. 80% of the voters that I talked to said the jail needs to be located next to the courthouse. And I intend to represent the voters.
#2. At this time I do not have enough information to have an opinion. If a new highway department building does move forward, some related departments could share the new building. As far as the location, that is still being studied.
#3. As far as space issues, the new jail and court rooms will open up some space in the old courthouse.
#4. Many counties are combining departments. When related departments are combined both departments become more efficient.
#5. I feel current zoning laws seem to be workable the way they are. They may need some minor updates.
#6. I believe the voters need to have a voice in the decisions made by their commissioner. If elected I will represent the majority of the voters. Honesty and truthfulness are very important to me and with some common sense I feel I can be beneficial to our community.
Loren Lapham, 51, Caledonia, has lived in Houston County his entire life. Attended University of Minnesota, is park ranger Beaver Creek Valley State Park and a farmer. Is a director of the Houston County Wild Turkey Federation, Portland Prairie Cemetery Association board member, former Root River Soil & Water District Supervisor, member of Bear Creek Watershed Board, Resource Conservation Development Council and Portland Prairie 4-H Club leader.
#1. The Criminal Justice Center is a hot topic. I feel we do need a new jail in Houston County as most people agree to that. The location and size are the controversial parts of the equation. The current size and design is what I have a problem with. Going from a 14 bed to an 80 bed is quite a jump. I do feel the CJC needs to be with the courthouse.
#2. The highway department headquarters building is in very poor condition and should be replaced. I am for keeping it in the same location with a new headquarters building. The county does not need to purchase any more real estate.
#3. The lack of space in the courthouse could be alleviated with the court and court services being incorporated into the CJC. Cost wise it is the most economical.
#4. I feel combining the auditor and treasurer departments is a good idea. Over time things have changed to where the two departments could be combined.
#5. Zoning can be a very emotional subject. Our neighborhoods have changed. We can look at our zoning laws and decide do we want a dwelling every 40 acres like now, or 20 acres or 10 acres?. I feel you have to be careful for what you wish for. The farms in the county, like elsewhere, are getting larger. The livestock on those are in bigger numbers. So all these thing come into play with zoning. What a person does on their land is their business, until it leaves their land.
#6. I would like to think I can help bring some of these topics to a compromise and move on. We all chose to live in this county for different reasons. I think we can all agree it’s a great place to live. We need to have more jobs or vocations to keep young people in our county. We export millions of dollars worth of agricultural and wood products out of our county each year. Just to have it processed and shipped back again. I hope to see more locally finished products in our county in the future.
Joe Welch, 40, Caledonia. Resident of Houston County 12 years. Graduate of Gilbert High school, Gilbert, Minn., attended Mesabi Community College, Virginia, Minn., and The University of Minnesota, Duluth. Currently serving as board member Four Seasons Community Center, advisory board heavy equipment, diesel program, WWTC. Self employed in equipment sales.
#1. The CJC is the most controversial issue the county has faced in many years. The issues seem to be location, size and cost. Everyone I have talked to believes we do need a new jail, but not an entire Criminal Justice Center. This is what I believe. A new jail with a much smaller capacity and price. Located next to the court house where the land is already owned by the county. (It would be foolish to waste what the county has already spent over $1 million dollars on.) This will help to keep the down town area viable and help in controlling the costs. The larger the jail, the more expense to build and maintain. This will be a never ending cost to the taxpayers of Houston County. Building a large jail will require a larger and more expensive Public Defenders office. The county is already having to deal with more state cuts in this area. Adding more prisoners will add to the burden that is already on the judicial system. With the lack of population growth in the county it is difficult to ask (or tell) the tax payers to pay for an expensive and elaborate building that will create more expense. The only way to pay for is added burden is thru continued tax increases. The jail can be built (if not oversized) keeping the Veteran/POW Memorial in place with a green area as a small buffer between the residential areas. I do realize this is a very complex problem and all the solutions cannot be summed in a few paragraphs.
#2. The highway building headquarters, if built, should be built next to the current shop on the land the county already owns. All utilities are in place. The land is paid for. This will keep costs down dramatically. The size of this structure should be much smaller then the current building size proposed (it would cover over 1 acre). The reason given for such a large facility is maybe some time in the unknown future the county may have to take over for some of the yet to be named townships. There are a lot of ifs in this. It makes no sense to build a building, heat and maintain it for an uncertain future. If the townships need to be taken over in the future, the maintenance units will need to be located near the townships, not in one central location. Most of the current townships contract out their maintenance with local contractors. If the county does need to take over for the townships this may still be the most cost effective as they’re on an “as needed basis.” No extra man power, equipment, or buildings.
#3. The space issue is one that I do not have enough information on and would have to study. One idea that has been proposed with the smaller jail, placing zoning and environmental services in the new maintenance shop. This could be a strong possibility.
#4. I do think combining departments like the auditors and the treasure’s is a good idea that needs a very close look. The commissioners are moving in a good direction on this issue. Combining other departments may be an alternative but I would have to research this more.
#5. Zoning is a controversial issue in all places that have it and all places that do not have it. Zoning is very important to develop and enable proper growth with the least amount of burden to adjoining land owners. Property owners should have the right to use their property in a reasonable manner that does not hinder neighboring owners rights. The tricky part is what is reasonable. Writing zoning laws for every possible scenario is impossible. The use of conditional use permits is one way of allowing changes to zoning but should be used for extreme changes. I feel there is some need to change zoning such as the 40 acre rule for building a home.
#6. I want to try to be part of the solution. I believe it is better to try and help then sit on the side lines and do nothing. It is very encouraging to see such a good group of people running for commissioner. Every one should be part of the process whether you are for it or against. Residents should exercise their voting rights and make their voices heard. We have a great democratic society but it requires involvement of the people. We are very fortunate to be able to live in an area with a high quality of life and good community services. I believe that a friendly and responsible government is a very important part of a communities ability to grow and prosper. I am running to do my part to make Houston County an affordable area to live, work, and raise a family.
Bradley Dean King, 37. Has lived in Houston County for 32 years. He is a graduate of Caledonia High School and attended college at Upper Iowa University for two years. He is the owner of King Construction, L.L.C.
#1. Houston County does need a new jail. We need to locate the new facility where both the City and County are happy with the location. The facility plans that I have seen will not fit downtown.
#2. The Highway Department does need a new building. I have not seen the plans for it. Location can be anywhere that has good access to main roads with cost in mind.
#3. Lack of space in the courthouse is something I have not seen and could not answer until talking to different departments.
#4. Combining departments again would be something I do not have the information I need to answer at this time.
#5. Zoning laws in Houston County need to change. The limits for residential buildings have to adapt to the changes in time.
#6. The reason I am running for county commissioner is to be able to help Houston County to continue to grow and stay a unique place to live.
Neil Goetzinger, 53, Caledonia, is a lifelong Houston County resident. Has a two-year degree in accounting and has worked in a management position for private industry for over 25 years. Has been a small business owner since 2005. Member Houston County
Sheriff’s Posse. Member Caledonia Sno Gophers, past president and secretary, current vice president.
#1. I would like to see a smaller criminal justice center (jail) than the one currently proposed built. I think it should be located on the site that was purchased near the courthouse; taxpayers paid a huge amount of money for this land and should make use of it.
#2. I do believe we need a new highway department headquarters but would not start this project until we know the cost of the new jail.
#3. I think we may be able to create some additional space in the courthouse by moving some of the departments to the new jail and highway department buildings.
#4. Combining departments with other counties is definitely an option we should look at to save money.
#5. I believe zoning laws are too restrictive and with a few common sense changes the laws would be more workable.
#6. I am running for county commissioner because I don’t think the current county board has represented the wishes of the voters. Being the owner of my own business I can devote the time to the job. I am also running to keep everyone’s taxes as low as possible.
Tom Bjerke, 46, Spring Grove. Born and raised in Spring Grove, left for college and other employment in 1980, moved back in 1996. Graduated from Winona State University degree in business administration. Works as a financial associate with Thrivent Financial in Caledonia. Has served on the Houston County Board 2004 to present, Spring Grove EDA Board 1998 to 2008, Spring Grove Communication Board 1998 to 2006, Trinity Lutheran Board of Commissioners 2007 to present, Spring Grove volunteer fire depar tment 1996 to 2008, and Spring Grove Lions club 1998 to present.
#1) Over the last 12 years there has been a lot of valuable information that has been researched on if we need a new jail and how large should it be. We all know and have seen the numbers on the projections of the number of inmates, the cost of transportation and the cost of housing inmates all over the State. We have gotten our money’s worth from our 150 year old jail. If we do nothing, we will lose our ability to house any inmates for more than 72 hours. I have talked to many citizens over the past 4 years on the Criminal Justice Center topic and there is a consensus that we need to do something.
I do believe that because of the states cuts to the court systems, that I am not in favor of adding new court rooms or space for court administration. We do not know the future of the courts system, but we do know that we will need to house inmates somewhere. I think that we should down size the original plan and be looking at only a jail/sheriffs department.
I also feel that this downsized version of the original plan would fit on our courthouse campus and not impact neighbors or area schools. I think that the county board and the Caledonia City Council need to sit down and do some planning together. We need to talk about what will be best for the city and the county. The money that will be used to pay for the CJC comes out of the same pockets, whether it be the left or the right one. We have to put petty issues aside and discuss what is the financially responsible thing to do. I believe that we are closer to an understanding on where the new CJC should be than people think. I do believe that this issue will be settled after the 1st of the year and we will have a decision that will not divide the city and the county.
#2. If anyone has ever been to the high department office or shop area, they could diffidently tell you that there is a need. The working conditions and air quality are awful. Here too is an example of where the county has gotten their money’s worth from the building. We have also had a site committee made up from citizens from each district looking at the best possible location for a new building. They do not believe that the current location would be an option. We have a purchase agreement for a location next to the school that is relatively flat and large enough for the office building, shop, salt sheds and equipment storage.
There might be one or two smaller departments that might fit in at the new highway shop building, but we need to make sure that they will be able to operate efficiently. I believe that a lease to purchase agreement on offsite office space for larger stand alone departments would be more cost effective than building new space in the new highway building
#3. We will need to look at relocating some stand alone departments outside the courthouse. Thanks to a recent article in the local papers it has brought to light the cramped conditions in our courthouse. We are currently looking at possibly leasing/purchasing office space for departments that could function in a stand alone setting. We have a space needs analysis on every department in the courthouse and if we can move one large department off site it should free up enough space to get us through the next 20 to 30 years and cost the county much less in the long run.
#4. County finances and the laws dictating how we access revenues and expend money has become very complicated over the years. The state and federal governments have made it very difficult for local governments to function as they did in the past. The county has taken a step to make us more effective by hiring a financial director to oversee our accounting and finances. I believe that we need to look at combining the auditor/treasurer position to keep us up to date. One person, with the help of the finance director, will be able to research the new laws, be in contact with the state auditor, research investment options and keep the county board abreast with the ever changing laws and mandates handed down. For this reason, I am in favor of combining the auditor/treasurer position. I do believe that the recorder’s position should be keep separate. He/she does not have as much exposure to the financial issues and should kept their expertise on issues facing their department.
#5. I want to first set the record straight and say that I whole heartedly support and defend the rights of our Constitution. When I took office, I had to swear that I would uphold these rights and feel that with the decisions I have made I have. Land rights issues have been a touchy issue since the county implemented zoning in 1967. I believe that they were put in place not only to protect land owner rights, but to also allow people to utilize their property. There are some in the county that feel that they should be allowed to “do as they see fit” with there property. If you allow this you have to then ask the question, how will this effect their neighbors and what effect will this have on adjoining land owners. Look at the last two floods the county has had in this last year. If the county opened the zoning to allow people to build wherever they wish, do you think we would have had more damage to fields, roads, adjacent homes, farms and feedlots? I believe we would have. There are very few if any flat areas in our county. We have most hills, valleys, cliffs, dry runs and creek/river beds. The topography of the county must be taken into consideration when looking at making any changes to the existing zoning ordinances. We live in rural Minnesota and have zoning ordinances established to protect our agricultural status. If we abolish zoning and allow a free for all, what will be the effect to our farming community and the land that we know and love? We are in an agricultural part of the state and believe that we should honor our family farms and keep the zoning ordinances the way they are. I am not in favor of changing them.
#6. I am running for re-election of county commissioner because I feel that through my four years experience I have built working relationships with the county department that allows me to understand the needs of employees and the citizens they serve. I have also attended many committee meetings and understand the issues that we are facing. I feel that my experience, business background, leadership training and small town values has helped me make the right decisions over the last 4 years and will over the next 4 years if I am re-elected.
Brad Hernandez, 36, rural Mabel, Houston County resident for four years. Attended AAS Network Security, Academy College, Minneapolis. Is a self employed farmer. Served on the US Navy USS Rushmore LSD-47 San Diego CA 1992-1994 (two- year enlistment)
#1. I can certainly appreciate the fact that the courthouse and the jail are small and available space is extremely limited, however, now is not the time to spend such a large amount of money for something that doesn’t seem absolutely necessary. Couldn’t some of the storage be moved off-site? Would it be possible to convert some or all of the paper records to an electronic format? Are there items that could simply be thrown away? Does everyone really need their very own office? These are the first few questions I would ask, then I would want to know how a new facility could be constructed for significantly less money. I know it can be done and when it comes to spending taxpayers’ money, less is always better. If a new facility is constructed, the location should be somewhere all parties involved can agree on.
#2. My thoughts regarding the highway headquarters are the same as the criminal justice center. What happens to the current building(s)? Will they continue to be owned and/or operated by the county? Are there plans to sell or rent the buildings? If they are to be sold, then maybe the new building can wait until there is a buyer; nobody wants vacant buildings if we still need to maintain them. When a taxpayer sells a home and buys a new home, there is sometimes a contingency on the new purchase until the old home sells. The government should not be exempt from this common sense rule. If it absolutely needs to be built, do it for far less of a cost than what is proposed and co-locate as many other departments as possible.
Again, if the facility is to be constructed, a location should be agreed on by all parties.
#3. As I’ve already stated, any item in the courthouse that isn’t used on a regular basis should be moved to an off-site storage facility and converting records to an electronic format should be placed into consideration. All employees should understand that they may not have the luxury of their own private office and working space may be limited. There are better, less expensive options to correct a simple space limitation problem; we all do it in our home, shed and garage every spring.
#4. If essential job functions can be accomplished properly and efficiently, I think duties could be combined. The auditor and treasurer seem to have similar duties but I’m not clear if combining them eliminates any internal checks and balances. I would want to better understand the details of each position as well as if and how they currently work together to eliminate any errors or discrepancies.
#5. Zoning needs to be changed to allow significantly more freedom to the landowner. I fully support the actions and efforts made by the Landowners Concerned about Property Rights group.
#6. I am running for county commissioner because I think the spending habits of the county are getting out of control. I moved from the city in hopes to get away from a government that spends more money than it has and then raises taxes. When the cost of living and/or operating a business are as high as they are now, government should not be taking steps to spend additional money. Government is there to work for us, the taxpayer. We should not be forced to work for the government and its frivolous, irresponsible spending.
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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By the way, with all these good people to choose from in Houston County, how in the world is it possible that you end up with a clown like Tschumper representing you at the Capitol?