County rejects criticism curbs

By JUDD WEIL

Staff writer

County commissioners voted 3-2 Monday to reject a declaration that public disparagement and unfounded criticism of county employees not be tolerated, and directing public complaints be made to the county administrator.

Clarke Dirks, Jonah Gehring, and Mike Beneke opposed the statement. Kent Becker, who introduced the statement, and Dan Holub supported it.

“I think this is an egregious overreach,” Dirks told the Record afterward. “I am adamantly opposed to this.”

The proposal said constructive feedback “must be provided through the appropriate and respectful channels.” The county administrator would review concerns and bring them to commissioners “when appropriate.”

“We are the governing board of this county,” Dirks said during the meeting. “Those complaints should come directly to us, not filtered through the county employee’s supervisor.”

The proposal followed weeks of public criticism involving planning and zoning.

In August, planning commissioner Brandy Smith and rural Goessel resident Alisha Weiser accused commissioners of trying to intimidate planning commission members with a stricter conflict-of-interest policy. Weiser also criticized county staff. Commissioners unanimously rejected the stricter ethics.

Planning commissioner David Mueller later asked commissioners to declare Dirks’ complaints about him unfounded. Dirks responded Sept. 8, accusing planning officials of discouraging questions and applying a double standard to criticism.

Becker described Monday’s proposal as support for employees.

County administrator Tina Spencer said it concerned personnel matters.

Gehring emphasized the value of public comment and wanted more time to consider the statement.

Before the discussion, commissioners met four times for a total of 53 minute behind closed doors. The final session ran three minutes beyond its announced 2:40 p.m. ending time.

Commissioners also approved moving the department on aging from Marion Senior Center to the county health department late this year or early next year.

The county pays $400 a month to rent space at the senior center where it also pays telephone and internet costs. Moving would reduce expenses and allow employees of both departments to assist each other, Spencer said.

Responsibility for roads around Marion County Lake remained unresolved after Holub and Dirks disputed whether the county was obligated to maintain them.

Approving subdivision plats did not mean the county accepted responsibility for roads within them, Holub argued. Narrow rights of way, encroaching structures and drainage problems would make bringing roads up to county standards difficult, he said.

Landscaping rocks and railroad ties along properties funnel water into roads, worsening washouts, Holub said. He pointed to concrete drainage improvements installed by property owners as a possible solution but warned that extensive work would be costly.

Dirks cited county records of past road work and questioned denying maintenance to residents who pay county road taxes.

“To say that they’re not county roads and we don’t have any duty to maintain them when we have provided maintenance in the past is disingenuous,” he said.

Commissioners took no action. Free gravel will remain available for residents to repair washouts, and Holub said, he was open to other ways to help.