Five commissioners right now probably would cure our two-to-one politics, and be a good thing for our future. Our county has grown and our issues have grown, as well as becoming more complicated. It is a great burden to make just three people totally knowledgeable on all issues and to respond to them responsibly. New commissioners should have a crash course to learn the ropes, which could take up their first year.
This also should be a nonpartisan office. Why should Democratic or Republican policy tell us how to run our county and affect our choice of candidates?
Look what happened in our last election — former Commissioner Marc Boldt had always been present at community functions, meeting our people, and listening to their comments and views. He tried to do what he thought the community wanted, but he was ostracized by his own Republican party for not doing what the party wanted, and lost the election because the party threw their support to a different candidate. Very sad.
I know that Commissioner Steve Stuart, a Democrat, and Boldt, a Republican, working together never let political party affiliation enter into their decisions in running the county. I know that they supported each other when running for election. That’s the way it should be.
