EDITORIAL: Mr. Chairman, Barrow needs you to be successful

Fast growing communities like Barrow County have been hit hard by the recession. Construction, real estate and finance were the life-blood of Barrow, the core of the county’s economic base over the last eight or nine years.

During the boom years, a lot of people and institutions got caught up in the hyper-growth hysteria. Numerous mistakes were made by individuals, businesses and governments.

Barrow County was no exception. People made mistakes, sometimes from greed, but more often from having a lack of perspective. The building boom was built on thin paper and it just couldn’t last forever. But few people saw it that way at the time.

All of that to say that when you took office, you inherited a lot of mistakes made by others. The county government had taken on too much debt and had created a salary and compensation structure that was excessive.

The result is that the county has been spending more money than it is taking in. And the prospects for the next two or three years are even worse as sales taxes and property values continue to decline, and debt payments go up. So far, there isn’t any light at the end of this dark economic tunnel the county faces.

Mr. Chairman, your instincts on making cuts to county spending are correct. The county simply doesn’t have the financial resources to continue spending at the level it has in the past. Either taxes will have to go up, or the county will have to spend less money and perhaps cut the level of services it offers. It really is that simple.

But let’s be honest here — the county’s execution of these tough new fiscal policies has been less than stellar. The internal squabbles, the uneven implementation and the superheated political atmosphere have only added to the county’s pain.

Some of that would have happened no matter who sits in the chairman’s seat. When governments make cuts, both employees and constituents will scream. Anyone who has something at stake in government spending will be unhappy with cutbacks.

Still, the atmosphere in Barrow County today is worse than many other counties that are facing similar problems. And on that point, perhaps you should do some soul-searching and reflection.

Mr. Chairman, you apparently see yourself as a “white knight” riding to the rescue of Barrow County. Your dedication to the chairman’s job is unquestioned even by your critics. Nobody accuses you of being lazy or self-serving.

But perhaps you are holding your job too close to the vest.

You need some help, Mr. Chairman, in navigating the county through this economic morass. You cannot do it all by yourself. Nobody could. There isn’t anyone in government today who has ever faced this kind of economic downturn.

So may we suggest that you seek out someone — or several people — who have the kind of government financial experience that can be brought to the table to help you and your board sort out the problems Barrow County faces.

It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. Call the Association County Commissioners Georgia; they have resources for the kind of expertise the county needs.

In addition to seeking outside advice, Mr. Chairman, we would also suggest that you stay focused on the core issues the county faces.

Put an end to the internal squabbles and personality conflicts that are consuming so much of your time and energy in county government. Smoke a peace pipe and put all that behind you.

Ignore all those with political agendas who seek to tear the county apart for their own gain. Getting caught up in the politics of personality will get you nowhere.

And don’t react to all the crazy bloggers who sit around computers in their bathrobes at night feeding off of rumor and commenting on issues about which they know very little. There are some good comments out in “blog land,” but there’s also a lot of nutty bile.

Mr. Chairman, you are at a turning point. Many problems have been thrown on your lap that you didn’t create. We get that.

But after six months in office, how you handle those problems rides on your shoulders. The past is past; it’s the future you need to worry about.

Barrow County needs you to succeed, Mr. Chairman. A failure to manage this crisis successfully would haunt Barrow County for many years. Nobody, not even your critics, want that.

Being BOC Chairman is a tough job, made even more difficult by circumstances beyond your control. But there are three things you can do to help find the right roads to success: Ask for expert help; make peace with your peers; and ignore the crazies who have gotten too deep inside your head.

Good luck, Mr. Chairman. Your citizens are counting on you.