Posted by turbobat (anonymous) on July 29, 2008 at 9:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

OK already! So when are we going to get these Commissioners out of office and get some in that know how to really budget our hard earned money and help Chilton County grow? It's high time that instead of holding Chilton County back and not giving pay raises to the employees and not even giving enough money to the men and women who protect us to get some Commissioners in office that can do all these things. I have lived here all my life and it is so sad to know that the people that work for our county cannot even get a pay raise becase of our Commissioners. And on top of that, our Law Enforcement has to SUE them just to get funding needing to protect each and everyone of us and that INCLUDES the Commissioners and their families. It's time to respect the people of this county, pay them what is theirs and give our Law Enforcement the money they need to operate!!!!

Posted by JanineS22 (Jan Smith) on July 29, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"It's time to respect the people of this county, pay them what is theirs and give our Law Enforcement the money they need to operate!!!!"

Where do you propose this money come from? Are you willing to pay increaded property, personal property, or sales taxes? What about additional funding from increased income taxes? I feel like I am taxed enough...I do not welcome additional taxing.

Are you aware that our county is funded primarily by sales tax revenue? They receive 1 cent on every dollar spent for end use products in Chilton County. Maybe if we utilized the resources we have around here, rather than running to counties north and south of us, they could do the things you are requesting.

I'm sure you all have a household budget you must abide by. What is your goal each month? Spend less or equal to the amount you are paid. The same is with our commission. They have to balance the budget. How can you spend money that does not exist?

I see no need in blaming the Commissioners. They make do with what they have.

Perhaps next year, while we are enjoying the administration of a new board of Commissioners, dealing with "underfunding" of the law enforcement, and complaining about the condition of the dirt roads we choose to live on...maybe then we can realize what the real problem is.

Posted by NoSugar (anonymous) on July 29, 2008 at 7:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Try sitting through a few Commission meetings, reviewing the budgets and then actually seeing where the money goes. Listen as the Commissioners over and over again find funding for their pet projects and watch them as they waste our tax dollars in one unproductive meeting after another. Listen to how unprepared they are in each meeting and how many issues they put off time and time again. Yes there is a lack of funding, and no this mess did not happen over night. It usually takes about 8 years in government to see the negative effects of a particular administration. All but two of the Commissioners are serving their second term or have been reelected or reappointed. So strangely enough I find it very hard not to blame these Commissioners. It is very difficult to spend money they dont have but they have found a way by borrowing more and more each year. Sadly the biggest problem is they are not aware of how much money there is available in each account and how it can and should be spent. So if that is not the real problem please enlighten me as to what it is.

Posted by danwright (Dan Wright) on July 29, 2008 at 8:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It seems as if several people want to blame the problems with our County Commission on a lack of funding. While I acknowledge that there is not an excess amount of money available, one can not blame what is occuring on a lack of money. The problem is non-involvement, lack of concern and lack of attention to detail by the elected persons. When you do not have a plan and approve expenditures on a whim you run out of money, not just sometimes but everytime. A yearly, five-year, and ten-year plan is essential to the operation of a government. I may be wrong but I can not recall a plan being mentioned by any commissioners. Furthermore, should unexpected events occur (such as an economy downturn) you just delay some of those planned projects. It is simple economics. I often wonder if those commissioners that own their own businesses operate that business the same way they are operating the county?

Everyone states the best way to correct this problem is with a new commission, and while I agree and will do my part to achieve this, it will take a new commission a minimum of two years to turn this mess around. The reason: instead of making tough decisions to keep from borrowing money, our commission has decided they would rather continue to float the boat with loans instead of getting rid of the dead weight. With an ever increasing loan amount, coupled with a struggling economy this loan will be repaid out of next year's budget. So instead of cutting now they would rather pass along this problem to the next commission. It is interesting to me that several of them want to be on the next commission and are delaying solving the problem. I guess it makes them feel better when they make a decision in a "non-election" year as compared to an election year.

Posted by NoSugar (anonymous) on July 29, 2008 at 9:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I think the biggest problems are the lack of accountabilty for the money they do have and the lack of public involvement to hold them accountable. They can get away with a lot when no one is really paying attention, and no one has been for a long time. There is certainly no chance of them making any budget decisions that might cost them a vote in an election year but I bet they will tell you they will do everything they can to get your road paved if you put them back in office. At least we know we will be getting two new Commissioners. I hope we can all pull together and increase that number. It is time for a change.