Commissioners earn high marks for cooperation
The early verdict from some local officials on the job being done by the three new Butler County Commissioners is generally positive.
Several municipal officials reflected on their desires regarding what Commissioners Leslie Osche, Kim Geyer and Kevin Boozel would accomplish in their first term in office.
The trio has held office for eight months, and the general assessment is that they work well as a unit.
“It's good that they can work together for a common goal, and that they can agree to disagree when necessary but do it in a professional way,” said Stan Kosciuszko, president of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce.
Boozel said that they have been able to achieve this through trust. One of the ways they do this is by sharing an electronic calendar that lets each other know each commissioner's schedule.
“That transparency has been a huge factor,” Boozel said.
Learning the job
Patience also has been a factor while the commissioners become acclimated with their roles.
“I think for them, they were assessing the current situation, what works and what doesn't work,” said Bruce Mazzoni, chairman of Cranberry Township supervisors. “So they've been doing their homework, doing their due diligence before making any full decisions one way or another.”
Kosciuszko has noticed how that carries over into their hiring procedure.
“When they have had some resignations or departures or retirements, they have not hastily gone into appointing someone,” he said. “They've taken a very nice, business approach and they've examined the position and the duties and qualifications of the positions.”
However, Regina Greenwald, Slippery Rock council president, has experienced the frustrating side of that kind of diligence.
Greenwald expressed hope last year that the county commissioners would pay more attention to the northern part of Butler County, and mentioned that she is still waiting for that to come to fruition.
Specifically, Greenwald is hoping for a grant to link Slippery Rock Elementary School to the site of a public library that has not yet been built.
“At this point I'm a little disappointed, not necessarily in the commissioners themselves, but understanding the process to get through this thing,” she said. “I'm not happy with it, but I understand it.”
She mentioned that Boozel attended a Slippery Rock council meeting, which she had hoped would happen.
Greenwald also said that other municipalities have the potential for distraction.“With Cranberry doing what it does, it's hard for (the commissioners) to remember that we're up here,” she said.Boozel noted the commissioners are from various parts of the county. Boozel is from Slippery Rock, Osche is from Butler Township and Geyer is from Mars.“The needs of north of Route 422 are different from south of 422,” he said. “We are there to learn from them and what their experiences and needs are.”Dealing with dollarsThe county commissioners shook things up by creating the role of chief of economic development and planning.The post replaces the former planning director position vacated at the end of 2015 when Dave Johnston retired. The role will entail coordination and stimulation of economic development through internal departments and county-related agencies in a supervisory capacity.“Our goal is to have somebody in place that has connections with each of the municipalities, each of the entities and the private contractors,” Boozel said.Mazzoni likes the creation of the role.“It's something that I support, and they support, and I think that's a big step in itself,” he said.The county commissioners also are trying to make other financial changes, such as simplifying their print management contracts.“We're definitely looking at those efficiencies,” Boozel said. “One of the things that I think is different for the county is each department has been looking at the county commissioners and meeting with us, because we are asking difficult questions. It's not about what they've done in the past. It's about what we can do better in the future.”Not everyone is pleased with the commissioners' financial decisions, though.Butler Mayor Tom Donaldson expressed hope last September that the commissioners would give the city money in lieu of tax-exempt properties.He said at the time that 38 percent of the city's total properties are tax-exempt, and the county is probably the largest holder of those properties.A year later, he was disappointed that the commissioners had not doled out any funds.“I don't feel like I'm going to see any money from them any time in the future,” he said. “I just don't see it coming and it's unfortunate.”Boozel addressed the mayor's concerns.“One of the things that we can't do is just hand the cash over to them and say, 'good luck,'” he said.
However, Boozel also said that the commissioners have been working with individual businesses to help them save money.The futureOne thing Donaldson expressed satisfaction with was the commissioners' goal-oriented mindset.“They are addressing things in both short-term and long-term perspectives,” he said. “They're making a good attempt at it.”Boozel said the commissioners have excelled at their main goal so far.“The top thing that this administration has done is we want our commissioners to listen and be accessible, and we've done both,” he said.Mazzoni is optimistic about the trio going forward.“I think that they've done a good job,” he said. “I have high expectations. I know it's only been (eight) months into the process, but (from) what I've seen initially, I'm very encouraged.”
