I don’t know about the rest of you and your budgets at your job, but (so far anyway) my classroom budget for this year is ZERO. Thank God for DonorsChoose.org, mini-grants from the state and some federal money that is out there. It’s time to get creative, folks.

I have to say, that lobbying organizations benefiting from public funds is inappropriate at this time. I’d much rather you cut the tax payers payment of 33k to allow you membership to an organization than you cut $5,239 out of food (which was most likely going back into the community). In fact the 33k would be better spent locally informing the public so they can be effective in government. A motivated voting population can have a stronger vote than a membership community.

There’s an exodus out of Michigan right now. You will be fighting for less money each year and the federal funds to Michigan will certainly decrease as the population dwindles. Can you show us a breakdown of exactly what changes made by this organization directly benefited the taxpayer?

Both organizations create and lobby for legislation that affects county government. Everything we do at the county is governed by some state or federal law. If we allow the state and federal government to create laws without a collective voice of the counties sharing how it affects our budgets, we would have less money than we do now to care for the needy residents in Washtenaw County.

Seeing the value in these organizations, I have become a member of the Judicial and Public Safety Committee for each organization and a member of the Human Services Committee for MAC. I will help to write policy and lobby elected officials so that our funding does not continue to be taken away.

Right now, MAC is working with representatives in Lansing to stop them from cutting our revenue sharing almost $1 million per year. This vote is happening today. If MAC had not sent commissioners and lobbyists to the meetings, it may be worse. We need a voice for county government.

I am going to the department heads in the county with the legislative platforms of these organizations in October to find out if they have additional thoughts or recommendations for me to take back to NACo and MAC. We pay a total of approximately $33,000 a year to belong to both of these organizations. I promise you, I will be sure we get our money’s worth by being active.

Along with Leah Gunn, I am the commissioner who was first in bringing the board of commissioners budget to the table for reductions. I helped cut $4,032 for subscriptions to newspapers and magazines, $5,239 for food for commissioners and our yearly holiday party for the public, and I am working hard to cut the number of cell phones the county gives to employees. I have been fighting for transparency. If you notice, the contracts by the administrator for under $25,000 are now included in the board packet. I would like our whole checkbook online. I learned that from a commissioner in Colorado while I was at the NACo conference. There should not be one penny spent that the public does not have easy access to.

While at NACo, I paid for all my own meals. I would need to eat anyway if I was at home. I woke up at 6:30am and did not get back to my room until after 10pm each night. I worked for 6 days straight. When I landed at the Nashville airport, I grabbed a map of the city thinking I could take some time to see it on my own time and dime. The map never left my bag. I worked the whole time I was there.

I was able to personally meet and speak to the Assistant Secretary of Labor, Jane Oates, and other members of Obama’s cabinet. For the first time that NACo can remember, a president sent many high ranking officials to this conference with the express directive to make sure county government was getting what they need to care for the people. He did not send his cabinet members just to give big speeches to the crowd, but to meet with us in the committee meetings where 20-30 people create policy. To see a list of the people I was able to meet and the meetings I attended, go to this link.

After meeting the assistant to the Director of Cybersecurity at the conference, I was able to coordinate an educational talk for students, businesses and families in October. The Director of Cybersecurity, Dr. Peter Fonash will be coming to speak to residents of Washtenaw County personally. Three students in our community of Pittsfield Township have been directly effected by adult predators on the internet in the past year. I am committed to helping to educate our residents in the hopes of preventing more harm to our children.

I was able to speak directly to the Drug Czar, Gil Kerlikowske, about the DARE program. He has met with prevention experts across the country to address the need for a better school prevention program. We were able to explain to Jane Oates that we were not getting the stimulus money to the counties as quickly as it was needed because of red tape at the state level. She was able to go back to Washington and have the money by pass the state and get to work for the people on the ground in the county.

As you may be able to read in my writing, I am passionate about my role as an advocate for counties. Sitting in Washtenaw County at a big board table is not enough to get the job done. I will continue to go to Lansing and Washington and anywhere else I need to to advocate for my constituents. We need a voice for county government, and being involved in these organizations is the way to get that voice.

If anyone is interested in talking to me more about this or any other issue, just call my personal cell. 734-646-2088. I just turned in my county cell phone to save money.

I am being called a “micromanager” by some of my colleagues at the county because I am asking to see detailed numbers as to where your money is going. I want to see who has a cell phone and a county paid for car. I want to know what is being charged to credit cards. I do not have a county credit card. I was offered one when I got here, but I refused. I make a salary of $15,500 a year and work full time. I work sometimes 4 nights a week, and I work on weekends.

The residents of Washtenaw County are getting their monies worth out of me even if I do go to conferences to represent them. You will never find me spending your money unwisely or for personal gain. Transparent government that works for the people is my goal and why I ran for office.

I have also started a monthly email newsletter. If you want it delivered to your inbox, email me at judgek@ewashtenaw.org. If you want to see the back issues online, go to my county web page at ewashtenaw.org. I work for the residents, and I will continue to fight to make sure your county tax dollars are spent wisely.

You are probably correct about the travel, I always that it was pretty generous. I don’t disagree with you about Mr. Behen. I thought he was in was in way over his head. And, I know you are correct about a lot of his needless and self serving travel.

Anyhow…I wish that the commissioners would post their personal travel flex budgets online with their bios. I think that they carefully ignore that common sense suggestion.

I was not speaking only of the Commisioners but, County employees as a whole. I know for a fact that the guidelines you posted either are not in place or have been recently modified. Support services in itself has probably outspent the Commisioners for confrences and seminars. I suspect just David Behen, Dale Vanderford, and Dave Shirley alone have done that. Add to that the rest of the staff and you would be amazed at the amount that is spent. Some Commisioners read this and comment here and I am sure they could obtain this information if they wanted to.

Vivienne,
You are correct I was speaking of the WERS board which consists of Commisioners and other County employees. It may have been a couple of years ago that they went to Hawaii but, every year they have a rendevous somewhere on the taxpayers dime.

As a former county employee, I can tell you that each non union employee received a small conference budget that covers the cost of registration and some travel. I believe there were some restrictions on air fare and you needed specific permission for any overnight stays. Personally, I only used it once in three years for a conference in Lansing. I’m not sure if it has been rescinded due to the budget issues.

Anyhow…I suspect that it isn’t quite as big a number as you think, I believe the Commissioners flex fund is largely a symbolic issue as the budget impact is minimal. They Commissioners, if they really believed in transparency, should publish their flex funds on the website with their bios. I think that it would serve to force the Commissioners to be careful about how they use taxpayer money. I’m not holding my breath.

I’m also saddened by the cuts and the potential impact to the County services and workforce. Having been through the process, it is very stressful. As an aside, I would add that Donna Sabourin is one of the most decent and respected managers in County government.

I was aware of Leah’s efforts to reduce these funds and appreciate it. And the coference seems like a worthwhile event, in better financial times. But as we move to cut Head Start and mental health services, sending three political officials to the same event, regardless of whether it was paid for out of the individual $3K ‘allowance’ is just wrong.

When times are not so harsh, these conferences can have good outcomes. Commissioners have a chance to meet others in the same situation and to learn how other counties and states solve similar problems. It is beneficial to educate people who are making a lot of decisions on the public’s behalf.

I took my husband along on two trips to Washington and one to Portland, Oregon. (We paid for his trip and expenses from our personal funds.) But even so I attended many useful workshops and brought back a lot of information and insights I wouldn’t have learned over the internet or through reading. These meetings can be abused by some who spend much of their time doing socializing and sight-seeing, but you shouldn’t assume that they are “junkets”.

That said, if I were still on the BOC, I’d have voted to zero out the commissioner travel budget for this period. And I am glad to say that I did prevent the BOC from raising the per diem from $25 to $35 in one round of compensation changes.

I think that comment #7 is referring to the WERS board (the old county pension system board). Those trips are scandalous but unfortunately nothing new.