Print this story | E-mail story | This story has 8 comments Add your own | iPod friendly

Saving money is only the first step

Published Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Adams County Board of Supervisors members are to be commended for their unwavering determination to reduce unnecessary spending.

Supervisors have spent countless hours working to understand each line item of the budget in an attempt to micromanage it into control.

This type of no-stone-left-unturned-review is good. This may be the first time they’ve done it in a long, long time, if ever. But we’d be wise to remember that you cannot save your way to success.

Smart investment is required, in business, in life and in government.

And in this case, an investment in time and some non-conventional thinking about how that “saved” money could be best spent could change our community forever.

Let’s flip on our bright lights and look down the road to where we want the county to be. When we start doing that, we move from just “managing” county affairs to true “leadership.”

One obvious need is clear: We should explore options to merge certain government functions.

Does it make sense that we have emergency dispatchers for both the City of Natchez and the county sheriff’s office?

What about purchasing large pieces of equipment for maintenance and roadwork?

The last time we checked the county has two pothole patchers, but are they ever used to help fix city roads — which are also, by the way, in the county? We don’t think they are. There’s a territorial nature, currently, between city and county government that ultimately is harmful to our community.

Our community can be even better than it already is, but we must work together and be smart about our government and how it spends money.

Comments

Posted by EnKiKur (anonymous) on August 26, 2008 at 1:01 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Does it make any sense to have multiple people on the NCVB?

Posted by acedog (anonymous) on August 26, 2008 at 4:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

good story

Posted by redusmfan (anonymous) on August 26, 2008 at 7:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

"The last time we checked the county has two pothole patchers, but are they ever used to help fix city roads — which are also, by the way, in the county? We don’t think they are. There’s a territorial nature, currently, between city and county government that ultimately is harmful to our community."

I understand what you are saying, DEB, but the county and teh city are seperate entities and should respect each others boundaries. This means the city is responsible for the city and the county is responsible for the county.

Have a great day.

Posted by andy (anonymous) on August 26, 2008 at 1:34 p.m. (Suggest removal)

they must be crazy lowering taxes and cannot pay the bills they have have you looked at last years audit report tommy o. still not corrected look what they did to binkey and tommy o. keeps getting written up what you doing mr watts are you looking at this

Posted by andy (anonymous) on August 26, 2008 at 4:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

county does not know what a budget is its a laugh

come on supervisors keep working for the people and do something like cooper stated saving $30.00 amonth and losing a hospital in the deal good job you 3 stoogies are doing

Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on August 26, 2008 at 7:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)

do not cut law enforcement, fire protection,civil def or fiing streets and the tax payers can live with the budgets
raise my taxes if you have to cut services

i want the polce,sheriff and fireman when i need them

Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on August 26, 2008 at 7:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

you are right andy and even the ND KNOWS it give us some baseballs and footballs with the surplus

Posted by natchez500 (anonymous) on August 26, 2008 at 7:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

if we get a ball field, mike l. makes the money selling t shirts

Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)

(Requires free registration.)

Username:
Password: (Forgotten your password?)

Comment:



advanced search

Try these other Natchez Newspaper Web sites: Natchez on the River and Natchez Scene

© 2008, Natchez Newspapers, Inc.

Contact us