Years after the latest debate started, why is it that Adams County leaders are still squabbling over how to properly handle fine collections in justice court?

The amount of outstanding fines owed to Adams County Justice Court coffers is staggering, some officials say. Others suggest the large balance is mostly uncollectible amounts at this point as the debtors have either died or their whereabouts are lost to the ages now.

Adams County Justice Court Judge Charlie Vess claims he was only recently informed about a county collections policy that was adopted in early 2013.

If that’s true, clearly we have a breakdown of communication between justice court judges and the county supervisors.

The money involved is owed to the taxpayers and both supervisors and the judges are elected to represent the citizens of this county.

The very least the two groups can do in part of their public role is to sit down and talk with one another.

County residents don’t care where the blame lies on the large balance of uncollectible fines. They simply want to see a concerted, genuine effort to get the fines collected.

That doesn’t seem as difficult of a task as the supervisors and judges seem to be making it.