Committees Zchme-Committees

Another shining example was commissioners' decision several days earlier during their regular meeting to again shoot down a proposal from their very own committee - this one from a trash committee to mandate garbage pickup.

The number of committee members who have volunteered their time, sweat and energy to providing recommendations to the commission - including from two committees looking at the budget and one county-wide voting - could field a football team.

Offense and defense: a luxury at either high school.

And has been so typical of such dismissals for hard work - and in the case of the trash committee, work done seemingly quite well - it came with a slap on the behind.

Not only was the chairman Mr. Peters, in particular, openly hostile to the idea, he was rude and disrespectful to the chairwoman of the committee and dismissive of the committee's work, no matter how much he attempted to sand down the rough spots during the special meeting several days later.

With two votes against from the outset - saving money for the same seniors and those on limited incomes that they've been heavily taxing the past seven years, two commissioners argued - the commission meeting room became Mr. Peters' world for a time.

So what is the point of appointing these citizen committees to examine county issues if their recommendations are to be ignored?

And more importantly, what are the chances of attracting talented, willing, energetic residents when their volunteer efforts not only are rejected, but with hostility to boot?

Further, where exactly are any proposals from commissioners if they are going to ignore their own committees?

What about recycling programs which might address the landfill, household garbage and more? Maybe such efforts would grow the workforce, alleviate fiscal pain in challenging times?

After all, as commissioners have noted, times have changed and the luxury of spending more than $1 million for inmates to pick up garbage on the roadside because, in part, there is not mandatory trash pick-up, are over.

Possibly not, but where is the leadership in a scenario in which a committee is appointed, digs down, takes their charge seriously and comes up with proposals which merit serious consideration and are summarily shot down, an exercise in wastefulness?

Something some commissioners have down to an art form.