By Ronnie Herne
Sad, isn’t it, what passes for erudite evaluation as elections near. Rumor has it that Commissioner Bob Main is seriously offended to think that county employee Randy Sanne (SAY-nee) would dare challenge Main for his commissioner position. At a recent Board of Commissioners meeting two of the commissioners took turns interrupting Sanne, who is budget-wise, while he was presenting information on the fifty million dollars or so we have in surplus in our county budget. (Yes, you read that right.) They rudely accused Sanne of politicking and campaigning. Really?
Two of the three commissioners have served only a few months of their appointed terms. Perhaps Main, now completing his third year, might recall that Randy Sanne started appearing at commissioner meetings a full three years ago when Nikki and Kevin were still up there. At that point running for the position of commissioner had not yet entered his head. He just knew that numerous issues needed to be addressed and not enough people were doing it. So he stepped in. I guess Main has forgotten, and Parry and Messerle were too busy back then to pay any attention to the commissioners’ business. Randy Sanne should be congratulated for taking a stand, not castigated for speaking out.
More in the same vein: Bob Main spent seventeen thousand dollars of his own money to get elected last time and, reportedly, has said he will spend even more this time. Spend what you like, Bob. All of those one-time backers that you eventually turned your back on, lied to, ignored, defamed, laughed at, and worse are gone. They won’t come back. And you can bet they’ll give Randy Sanne a really good chance to prove his mettle.
Al, the average effective property tax rate in Oregon is $2.80 per $1,000. In Coos County it is $1.08, the third lowest tax rate in the state and in Curry County it is .58 the lowest of all 36 counties. In January 2009 Curry, just like Coos County received a blueprint to help the O&C counties survive the expected loss of SRS recommending that use of existing property tax capacity should be the counties’ first recourse as well as many other tools. Curry County BOC just like the Coos County BOC chose to do nothing these last two and a half years. But one thing is clear the entire state will pay the price for the poor judgment of these rural counties.
“Curry County is rapidly approaching a state of fiscal distress. There is an immediate possibility that Curry County will not be able to provide a minimum level of public safety services and state mandated services. We estimate that without full reauthorization of federal Secure Rural Schools (SRS) funding to 2006 levels, Curry County will have a $362,603 deficit for the 2012-2013 fiscal year and a $3,120,898 deficit for the 2013-2014 fiscal year. An emergency in Curry County will result in larger deficits occurring earlier than projected.” – portion of recent letter sent to Gov. Kitzhaber from the Curry County BOC.
Perhaps the Curry County BOC is practicing “fear mongering” and “fear tactics”. But pick up a Curry County Reporter any given day and I think most readers will conclude that Curry has moved beyond the “fear” stage and stepped into “reality” up to their necks.
probably need to fully disclose what “hit wall financially” includes instead of using fear tactics. And guess what, Al! your committee members really aren’t the only smart people in coos county. Good job as ususal Ronnie!
“This is understandable since he’s not had the luxury of sitting down with the department managers”
Have you Al? Where is the public record of those meetings?
I told friends two weeks ago, this was where you cowboys were going to take us, just like Curry County !
The days of fear mongering the public are over Al, it may take a little longer here in Coos Co., but changes are coming. The piglets at the public trough that is tax dollars here in Coos County are about to be weined.
But I hear Big Al is considering a run for public office, that would be wonderful Big Al, just think, Coos County would have our very own Sarah Palin Candidate !
What I noticed is how Al gloats that Randy has “not had the luxury of sitting down with the department managers”. Now, if the committee is doing its job properly and in accordance with public records and meetings law, we should all have the benefit of Big Al’s luxury…. then again if they have not done this properly, well that is another story
Notice how Al never backs up his accusations with facts or examples? I personally have no confidence in the structure committee, they haven’t demonstrated any qualifying experience
All Mr. Sanne did during his telephone call to me was to confirm that his understanding of the county’s budget situation requires further study. This is understandable since he’s not had the luxury of sitting down with the department managers. But since Mr. Sanne is running for Commissioner I recommend he lay low on this subject until he has the opportunity to better understand the “nuances” of the county’s finances.
Now, we can go the route of Curry and simply see what happens when we eventually and inevitably hit the wall financially, or we can try to get ahead of the curve and avoid a similar train wreck. Fortunately for ALL residents of Coos County the Commissioners have chosen the latter. This is good. Spending time discussing questionable or uniformed finance strategies is not.
And yes – I am aware that a handful of folks on this blog are skeptics about the Committees and that’s OK. Nonetheless, the members are a diverse group that brings a wide variety of skill sets and experience to the table. From our Sheriff to the union representative to the retired engineer: they’re all pretty smart people who care. No one member has ever professed to have all the answers because the challenges are equally diverse and complex, but at least they’re trying – something that most of the people in this county respect and appreciate.
What’s important is that we deliver some viable solutions that satisfy the vast majority of county residents. If that includes some of the regulars on this site, then I’ll consider that a bonus.
So, Big Al, how’s that egg?
You didn’t know? You dang well should have. You want to be a mover and shaker and overhaul this county government?
Not qualified, same as the rest.
Now you know, what are you going to do with your newfound facts Al?
Perhaps YOU can now edjukate your fellow buddies Main, Parry and Messerlle, that might help this poor county survive. What numbnuts. And THEY get together and talk about US? Ha, running out of jokes rather quickly now aren’t you guys?
Al, to my knowledge, Sanne has never claimed there is a $50 million “surplus”. He has explained, or at least he tried to at the last BOC meeting, that monies available to the general fund have not dropped below $17 million in the last year and that even funds comprising the $50 million in cash investments can technically be borrowed against for general fund use – at no time has he recommended doing this, merely that it is possible.
Didn’t he explain all that to you on the phone recently? Surely you understood something this simple. As for the structure committee, you must be aware that very few have any faith in its evaluation of structural alternatives, in part because members like yourself “never purchased fuel in the military, so what do I know about finance?” In fact, only the triplets sitting on the bench seem to value your opinion.
A $50 million dollar surplus? Wow. If I’d know that kind of money was lying around I wouldn’t have bothered volunteering for the Structure committee. Personally, I just don’t see it, but then I’ve never purchased fuel in the military, so what do I know about finance? I and my committee partners would certainly find this information valuable as we work towards structural alternatives. Heck, if we’re sitting on that kind of cash then that changes our entire strategy (basically we throw a party instead of wasting our time looking at org charts). I hope Mr. Sanne can produce his details in the very near future. – Al Pettit
Can I come? Can I? Please?????
I’ll scream and froth at the mouth and pound your table and act like an ape in a cage, and demand he join me in what I WANT !. Then I will put my head back and laugh and laugh and laugh out loud, right in his face, and do it repeatedly with total disdain for him. He should feel right at home that way.
Randy, please accept my apology for what they did to you in public. I am just sickened by it. Seriously, as a victim of domestic violence, it was terribly unnerving to see. Been there, and survived. You will too, these clowns are on their way out, they are going to do as much damage as they can in the meantime.
Randy, who has extensive budget experience from his days in the Air Force has agreed to do an interview with me to explain the details he was trying to get across during the last BOC meeting. Hopefully, I can have it up this weekend.
Thank you ! Good points.
You mentioned bob Mains’ laughing. What I find even MORE troubling now is the fact that Main and Parry had already signed their admissions weeks before they started attacking Sanne. And the laughing out loud-in the face of the public who pays his damn wages? What the hell are you laughing at Bob? What’s funny about being sanctioned by the State Ethics Dept. What do you find so hilarious that you mock and laugh in the face of the interested public.?
One more time laughing out loud and mocking the public Main and I will personally file a complaint for a complete lack of professionalism. I promise you that.