One of the most important duties of the commissioners is to develop an annual spending plan, i.e. the county budget

As provided by County Code, the preparation of the Proposed Budget must begin at least 90 days prior to adoption.  In our preparation of the 2010 Proposed Budget the Commissioners advertised and held public work sessions beginning in September (90 days). In our preparation of the 2011 Proposed Budget the Commissioners began the process in September (90 days) and held public work sessions beginning in October .  Now compare just those two prior years to this 2012 Proposed Budget wherein the Commissioners have not held one work session ………yet the 2 majority Commissioners on Monday, at a special commissioners meeting, voted to approve the Proposed Budget.  I voted no.  

Just how can Commissioners approve a proposed spending plan and present it to the public for a 20 day review period without having any meetings with their department heads, row officers, courts, etc?  What's been going on for the past 90 days?  Could it be there were other things on their minds?  Too busy campaigning for the Nov 8th election?

So what happens next? Well, we as Commissioners have 17 working days… but wait not really 17 because Commissioner Vicites' email to us asked that no public meetings be held Dec 6,7,8,or 9th while he is on vacation so that leaves 13 working days….but wait not really 13 because county manager Warren Hughes has a scheduled vacation so that leaves 9 working days. 

Both majority Commissioners, Zapotosky and Vicites were quoted by the media saying they will work diligently to pare down the $2.7 deficit in order to balance the budget before December 30th.   Really?  Diligently in 9 days? 

Yes, when Commissioner Vicites returns from vacation the process will begin as both majority Commissioners have instructed staff that the public work sessions will be held Monday, December 12th through Friday December 16th  between 11-2pm................................ and if you are wondering courthouse hours are 8:30-4:30.

The Courier/Tribune Review got it right in their editorial of Saturday, Nov 5th:  Read it & and read my comments (in red) & consider it when voting for your next Fayette County Commissioner tomorrow, Tues Nov 8th.

The biggest part of the job is creating an annual balanced budget. With municipal elections on Tuesday, is it too early to think beyond that decisive day? It is not. For instance, let's look at the job of county commissioners. We vote for two of the four candidates on the ballot, and the top three vote-getters are elected.

The reason we do is so we get two officeholders from one party and one minority member whose job it is -- supposedly -- to provide "loyal opposition." But it rarely works that way because commissioners rarely publicly debate at their meetings.

Whether the current officeholders or newcomers want to admit it, the job of county commissioner is basically a custodial one. The biggest part of that assignment is creating an annual balanced budget. And they are aided in this task by other elected officials on county row and their assistants and employees.

One area that a few of the general election hopefuls are touting is "creating and sustaining" jobs or so-called "economic development." In actuality, there is little county commissioners can do in that arena. They can tout the county to perspective developers and seek the cooperation of state and federal lawmakers, who may have contacts far outside county limits.

In growing the business base of the county, the commissioners face an uphill effort -- pushing the stone up only to see it roll back again -- in a global market. Yet the effort cannot be abandoned.

So what should we insist the county commissioners do?

At the risk of oversimplification, they can be the political leaders of the county -- cheerleaders, if you will -- and at this juncture, that desperately needs to happen.

County commissioners should not directly meddle in the governments of boroughs or townships or school districts, but they could attend their meetings and otherwise pay attention to news accounts of the same so that they can speak to areas where common efforts might help.

If public safety is an issue in some municipalities, the commissioners, with the big picture in mind, could suggest ways for boroughs and townships to work together.

Whatever advocacy the commissioners choose is up to them. Just so they do so.

At the September Commissioners Meeting, at the request of Dominick Carnicella, Felice Associates HR Director the Commissioners were asked to pay for flu shots for county employees. Although flu shots are currently free to county employees when they go to their own physician the rationale of Commissioners Zapotosky & Vicites to spend your county tax dollars is that giving flu shots on-site at a scheduled health fair next week rather than the employee going to their doctor's office will reduce employee time off and loss of productivity.

At the September Commissioners Meeting Commissioners Zapotosky & Vicites voted to pay another $20,000 to Sam Lynch, Susquehanna Group Advisors at the request of Controller Sean Lally. Look at the campaign contribution list which can be found at the Election Bureau and you will see the name Sam Lynch as a contributor. Coincidence?