Elk County Commission: To tree, or not to tree!

[Patriot]

Sometimes you have to wonder...

There has been  a borer disease affecting some conifer trees in Kansas for some time.  I think this has been written about in papers across the state.   I believe that no satisfactory cure has been found.

In more news from the Sept 10, 2012 Elk County Commission meeting, there's this...

There are two or three cedar trees in the courthouse lawn that are seriously diseased, if not dead.  It would appear these trees are suffering the terrible problems previously mentioned.

At any rate, the county commission came to a consensus in their August 27, 2012 meeting that the maintenance supervisor should cut down and remove these trees.  They were deemed an eyesore and posibly harmful to other trees in the area.  On Sept 10,  the trees were still in place and Commissioner Ritz inquired as to why they had not been removed as agreed.  Initially, there were no solid answers.

When the issue was pressed by Commissioner Ritz, it was discovered that after the August meeting decision had been made, Commissioner Liebau had taken it upon himself to privately instruct the maintenance supervisor NOT to remove the trees as agreed by the full commission.  Apparently, Liebau thought that there was some possible chemical treatment that might 'save' the trees.  Mr. Liebau had failed to mention this during meeting discussions in August.  

Ritz continued to inquire as to how anyone should be able to so block acions already decided on by the full board.  In a frustrated tone, Mr Liebau looked to the maintenance supervisor and said, "Oh hell, just cut the trees down, and I'll help ya!"  Liebau offered no scientific evidence that these trees could be saved by any approved chemical treatment.

I understand the dead trees have since been, or are being, removed.

---------------------------------------------

Commissioner Ritz raises an interesting question.... by what authority (or sense of good management) does ANY single commissioner direct the daily operations of any county employee, absent an emergency or majority consensus or vote of the entire board.  Doing so, it would seem, places employees in a very tough position.  Do they follow Board policies & directions, or do the try and follow potentially conflicting directives of individual commissioners given away from the board setting.  

For those with formal management training, this would violate one of the generally accepted foundational 14 principles of good management:  Unity of Command.  The idea that an employee should be responsible to one manager.  In this case, that one manager would be the board as a group.  Three commissioners all giving separate directions would seem to be a tough thing for any employee to live with.  Have you ever had to please three bosses at one time?  What did that do to morale & productivity?

Our county is run by a single board consisting of three people.  Not three people each managing employees at their individual whim.

Could this explain some of the erratic movements some have reported concerning the road department?  More to come on this issue, I'm sure.

Just more to consider as you ponder our county and the upcoming election.

[upoladeb]

as you are mulling that thought over,remember when they(the comissioners)passed the law that they will be in charge in the event that we have a national emergency.Keep that in mind when you are voting in November.

[Patriot]

as you are mulling that thought over,remember when they(the comissioners)passed the law that they will be in charge in the event that we have a national emergency.Keep that in mind when you are voting in November.

Great point, upoladeb.  If this is how poorly the commission operates as a team with the small stuff on a daily basis... how will they operate as a cohesive team in times of emergency?

What is it we call a ball player who runs independently in a game?  Hotdog.  No, I don't think I want any hotdogs calling the shots during an emergency.

[Diane Amberg]

Why would your three commissioners be "calling the shots during a major emergency? Who is their back up? Why wouldn't your police and fire service people be doing it?
  I know it's not the same there, but you don't have a state task force and national guard disaster agencies in association with the mayors, the governor and your version of our DEMA? All three of your commissioners could be uh, "unavailable" during a big emergency.
  That's an awfully small team! Who would handle all the phone calls and public information? Not picking, just interested. We plan for terrorists, hurricanes, and tornadoes or water spouts to a smaller extent, because ours tend to be small and relatively short lived. OK, back to your trees.

[Patriot]

Why would your three commissioners be "calling the shots during a major emergency? Who is their back up? Why wouldn't your police and fire service people be doing it?
  I know it's not the same there, but you don't have a state task force and national guard disaster agencies in association with the mayors, the governor and your version of our DEMA? All three of your commissioners could be uh, "unavailable" during a big emergency.
  That's an awfully small team! Who would handle all the phone calls and public information? Not picking, just interested. We plan for terrorists, hurricanes, and tornadoes or water spouts to a smaller extent, because ours tend to be small and relatively short lived. OK, back to your trees.

I think it has to do with a thing called team management.  In any case why would one want an out of the loop, hotdog involved in the process during a crisis?  This isn't the real life version of Hollywierd's Independence Day flick.

Even if FEMA were calling the shots, a renegade local official who 'had another idea' could sure muck a few things up or worse, cost lives. 

Recognizing the limits on one's individual authority is critical in an emergency.

[Wilma]

I don't know what kind of an emergency is being talked about here, but possibly the biggest emergency in Elk County was the tornado that took the life of a citizen.  It was handled by the sheriff's department, volunteer storm spotters and the EMS.  At that time it was customary for an off duty dispatcher to come in and help with the telephone calls, etc.  Part time deputies were activated, etc.  There was no need for the county commissioners to step in and take over.  There were also, all the neighbors that the tornado missed, who immediately checked on their neighbors to see that everyone was all right and/or had whatever they needed.  The citizens of Elk County do not wait for someone to take charge and tell them what to do.  They do what is needed.

[Patriot]

I don't know what kind of an emergency is being talked about here, but possibly the biggest emergency in Elk County was the tornado that took the life of a citizen.  It was handled by the sheriff's department, volunteer storm spotters and the EMS.  At that time it was customary for an off duty dispatcher to come in and help with the telephone calls, etc.  Part time deputies were activated, etc.  There was no need for the county commissioners to step in and take over.  There were also, all the neighbors that the tornado missed, who immediately checked on their neighbors to see that everyone was all right and/or had whatever they needed.  The citizens of Elk County do not wait for someone to take charge and tell them what to do.  They do what is needed.

Wilma we're probably talking something pretty big.  With the newfound powers of FEMA & the feds, a lot of things have changed over the years.  Our Emergency Management Director could probably add some perspective.  Ultimately, this was about any single commissioner (emergency or not) who thinks so much of themselves and so little of the rule of law that they boldly override the decisions of the entire board and/or try to be a 'stand alone' manager outside the board.  I understand there's a quite a bit of that in these parts.  Really poor management to say the least.

[Bullwinkle]

          Southern pine beetles have attacked pine trees in this area and they introduce a fungus which grows in the tunnels they make. The two of them together kill the tree. No remedy for them but to cut the tree down quickly before they spread to adjacent trees and do the same. I don't know if they attack cedars though. I haven't heard of it.

       It would seem to me the commissoners would consult our county extension agent about it.

[Patriot]

...No remedy for them but to cut the tree down quickly... I don't know if they attack cedars though. I haven't heard of it.

From what I've read, no.  Just pines.  Perhaps that's why the commission ordered them removed... instead of treated.

[Bullwinkle]

       It would appear that Liebau likes to run the show, doesn't it ? Put this incident together with the concrete/rock deal , and.....