Clearly Conveying County Wishes to Outsiders
THE COUNTY LINE
Sonny Brasfield Executive Director
If You Don’ t Go, You Won’ t Know
Clearly Conveying County Wishes to Outsiders
Years ago, when I was a young man getting started in the business of advocacy and promotion of county government, one of my favorite commissioners stood during a district meeting and said something that has stuck with me since.
At the time, he was talking about the Association’ s education program for county commissioners, which was brand new, and some folks weren’ t sure it was necessary. He was passionate about the program and believed his colleagues needed to attend the classes and learn more about the“ real” story of managing, protecting and expanding the services counties provide to their residents.
What he said was catchy and, honestly, the kind of thing you’ d hear people say when standing around an old country store or outside the courthouse on a Wednesday afternoon. Folks laughed the first time he spoke, but as time passed – and he repeated the phrase to make different points on different subjects – others began to borrow his insightful comment.
His phrase roared back to me a few weeks ago when someone outside county government questioned the Association’ s efforts to advocate for the protection and improvement of county government in Alabama.
“ If you don’ t go, you won’ t know,” is what former Chambers County Commissioner Ross Dunn said that night nearly 30 years ago.
That night, he was talking about those not going to the educational classes – those who thought they already knew everything they needed to know. And his point, of course, was that if those“ know-it-all” commissioners did not attend the classes, they would have no idea what was going on. If you don’ t go, you won’ t know. And that short line sums up the response county government had to someone outside its ranks who decided she should second-guess the way those“ inside” sought to protect its ability to provide services at the local level. You see, she has never served or been a part of county government – or any other level of government, for that matter – so most of those who do serve at the local level had just one question:“ How on earth could she have any idea what’ s best for counties?”
Repeating the details of the issue that gave rise to her attack on the Association isn’ t important because the facts were distorted and twisted in an effort to discourage counties, county officials and county employees from their mission. But learning from the criticism is important, Ross Dunn would tell us. Because if we“ don’ t go” then we“ won’ t know.”
Some outside county government are unconcerned when there are efforts to shift state programs to the local level or to reduce state funding for services, believing counties will pick up the pieces. Such moves do not solve problems nor do they help issues vanish into thin air. The problems continue to grow; this shifting of costs only shifts the debate to another level of government. And it is the citizens who lose. This Association’ s role is to make the decision-makers acutely aware of that reality. Counties cannot stand by and watch as responsibilities are passed down to the local level – not because counties
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