BALLOT ISSUE Referendum seeks change in form of government
A study says there are few checks and balances in the current form of government.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- For just about as long as Lawrence County has been around, so have the three county commissioners and an array of other elected county officeholders.
But come Nov. 5, voters will decide by referendum if they want to replace that form of government with a part-time county council and an appointed full-time professional manager.
Voters will cast a "no" vote to keep the current form of government and a "yes" vote to make a change.
"This is the very best hope for the future of Lawrence County. It's a more professional form of government that brings accountability," said Elizabeth Verterano, of the the nine-member nonpartisan study commission recommending the change to voters.
Accountability issue
Verterano, a former county commissioner and chairwoman of the Committee to Vote Yes for Better Government, a group formed to support the referendum, contends that there is little accountability in the current government form.
"You have a $70 million budget and 12 elected officials, none of whom are responsible to each other. So, under the current system, when you have 12 people in charge, you really have no one in charge," she said.
Opponents argue, however, that it is an experiment in government reform that would take away voters' power.
"If we accept it, we would be the only county in the commonwealth to have ever adopted this form of government. We would be a guinea pig trying it out," said Patrick Shea, chairman of the Friends of Lawrence County, a group opposed to the change.
And the concerns don't end there.
"My biggest gripe is that there would be a hired manager in charge of the county and the voters would have no control over the person who is running their government," said Commissioner Ed Fosnaught, an opponent.
Professional manager
A professional manager, hired by the council, would be in charge of the daily administrative duties and take direction from the policy-making county council.
Proponents of change say the county manager would not go unsupervised.
"The manager is not going to be all-powerful. Nothing could be further from the truth. Any contract he enters into must by OK'd by the council. There is a check and balance that isn't there now," said Janet Verone, a member of the study commission and the Committee to Vote Yes for a Better Government.
The study commission found a "lack of checks and balances" in the current system with county commissioners' having executive, administrative and legislative duties.
The new form of government also would require the county council to adopt a merit hiring and personnel policy, something not in place now.
Shea argues that voters might not get what they believe they are approving. He said county council will have free reign to change any of the study commission's recommendations once in office.
Study commission members say that's untrue.
"The law requires certain things that mirror our recommendations. They [county council members] can alter them, but they can't ignore them. [The law] spells out qualifications for the manager, and we toughened those qualifications. They can follow ours or weaken them," Verone said.
Influence, rights
Shea argues that the voters' rights and influence would be diluted by the election of a county council by district. He believes council members will be concerned only with their districts and not work for the entire county.
Verterano said county government doesn't break down geographically.
"I think people who make that argument don't understand too clearly the services that county government provides. County government doesn't pave streets like municipalities. It provides for the jail, the nursing home, it collects your taxes and assesses your property," she said.
Others argue they want to keep voting for other officeholders such as coroner, treasurer and sheriff. Study commission members say there is no need to vote for those offices.
"They are not policy-making positions. The reason we vote for them [now] is because of political pressure over the years to establish political patronage jobs," Verone said. The functions of those offices will be administered by county employees hired by the county manager if the referendum passes.
Voters would continue to elect the district attorney and the controller.
If the referendum passes, the new county council would take office in 2004, and if it's defeated, the current system will remain.