Combined offices wise move

Published 12:00 am Saturday, March 16, 2002

The Mower County Board’s intent to combine the offices of County Treasurer and County Auditor into one elected office to establish a finance department is a wise idea.

Saturday, March 16, 2002

The Mower County Board’s intent to combine the offices of County Treasurer and County Auditor into one elected office to establish a finance department is a wise idea.

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While citizens of Mower County stand to lose the right to vote for one office position, the benefits of establishing a finance department outweigh the election right.

One of the many challenges of county government is it is now big business. It is a much larger business than it was 50 years ago, but is still operating under an increasingly antiquated business model.

Establishing a finance department would allow the county to manage its cash flow, investments, contracts and other business dealings in a more efficient manner. Theoretically the establishment of a finance department would also allow the county to hire the most qualified person for the position ­ something that doesn’t always happen in elections.

Citizens constantly ask government to do more with less and make tax dollars stretch. With the public demanding such, it seems appropriate that the county have the ability to structure its operations to meet the changing business environment.

That said, the county commissioners need to be prudent with their hiring decisions and held accountable at election time for the success, or failure, of the finance department they establish.

From this vantage the idea of a finance department, similar to the non-elected department the city of Austin has, is probably long over due. As in any business personnel decision, the key to the finance department’s success ultimately will depend on how well the county commissioners hire.