EDITOR:
When I tell people I am running for Platte County Commissioner, they sometimes ask: “What does a commissioner do?” Here is a brief description of what the commission does.
The list of responsibilities below was copied from the Platte County website.
COMMISSION RESPONSIBILITIES:
.Sets policy for and administers County government, including the budget.
.Serves as final authority on all County regulations.
.Oversees the county’s public works, planning and zoning, parks and recreation, stormwater, human resources, information services, facilities management and housekeeping, convention and visitors bureau, all county buildings, property and equipment.
.Appoints county residents to numerous boards and committees which administer levy funds.
.Represents the county on many boards throughout the metro area.
In addition to the commissioners, voters elect the Sheriff, Prosecutor, Treasurer, Collector, Assessor, County Clerk, Auditor, Public Administrator, and the Recorder. These officials do not report to the Commission, but as the first bullet point above implies, the Commission impacts the operations of those offices by setting policy and appropriating funds. In other words, the commissioners control the quality of services provided to residents of Platte County.
There are other elected officials in the county that the commission has no control over. These include the trustees of the Platte County Health Department, commissioners of road districts, directors of water districts, directors of fire districts, directors of ambulance districts and board members of the school districts.
Although they have no control over these officials, it is important for county commissioners to maintain positive relationships with them to maximize the quality of services delivered to county residents. The community harm from the current conflict with the health department over CARES grant funding is an example of negative impacts created by failure to maintain a positive working relationship.
The commission also makes appointments to a total of 12 boards and commissions. The list is as follows:
.Board of Appeals (P&Z)
.Board of Services for the Developmentally Disabled
.Clay-Platte-Ray Mental Health Board
.Industrial Development Authority
.Parks & Recreation Commission
.Platte County Senior Citizens Service Fund
.Board of Equalization
.Board of Zoning Adjustment (P&Z)
.Domestic Violence Shelter Board
.Mid-Continent Public Library District Board
.Planning & Zoning Commission
.Regional Sewer District Board
Because the boards of these organizations determine how well they fulfill their objectives and serve residents of Platte County, the appointment of board members is an important responsibility of the commission. Again, through this responsibility, the commission impacts the quality of services delivered to Platte County residents.
I believe these appointments should not be based on political considerations but on the interest and background in the specific subject matter, along with capability to perform the responsibilities as a board member. There currently is no formal process for recruiting, considering, and selecting people to serve on boards and commissions. There should be, in my opinion.
As you can see, the way commissioners fulfill the responsibilities of their office has a significant impact on our quality of life in Platte County. Because there is no “city manager” type position in Platte County government, it is helpful for commissioners to have training and experience with managing similar organizations.
After reading this, how would you rate our commissioners on their job performance? In my opinion, their lack of training and experience is evident.
On the other hand, I have training leading to a Master of Public Administration and 35 years of pertinent experience in running government, grants, and operational programs, while working with a wide range of members of the public, neighborhood leaders, and government officials to successfully achieve common goals. This will enable me to be successful as second district commissioner.
–David Park
Kansas City
in Platte County