EDITORIAL: BOC liaison system is a bad idea

The idea isn’t a new one. A lot of governments have tried similar arrangements over the years.

The result? Even more squabbling.

Here’s what typically happens:

• The board “liaison” starts to think of the department he works with as “his” department. He becomes very defensive of “his” territory and “his” authority over “his” department.
• That leads the board member to resent comments coming from other board members about problems in “his” department. Board members begin to squabble and point fingers, claiming that other board members are “interfering” with department oversight.

• The full time staff of the departments get caught in the crossfire, not knowing who their real boss is. In Barrow County, the BOC chairman is elected to a full-time position to manage the county day-to-day; board “liaisons” add another layer into the system. Does the department head answer to the BOC chairman, or the “liaison?”

All of this leads to an unnecessary level of controversy and acrimony on a board. Rather than looking at the big picture and all board members being held accountable for county policy directions, a “liaison” system splinters the board into competing factions.

And the last thing Barrow County needs today is further division and controversy among its leadership.