Benefit of sound county leadership now is paying off

Published: December 6, 2009

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What a difference a year can make. Well, in this case, two years.

The Bradford County commissioners have released their proposed budget for 2010. The 215-page, $55.2 million spending plan was assembled with little, if any, noticeable discord.

Built on sound fiscal decisions made last year for the current budget, and more of the same this year - including reducing the overall budget by 2 percent - there will be no tax increase for 2010, Commissioner Chairman Mark Smith promises. That despite a budget crisis at the state level that sucked tens-of-thousands of dollars in so-called state aid out of the county's budget, leaving county officials twisting in the wind.

Under the direction of less competent people, it could have been a disaster for the delivery of key county services. County employees and department heads, for the most part, appeared to buckle down and keep their heads above water, to mix the metaphors.

What's more, the budget process this year, while not perfect, continued to evolve and improve, much as is the case with the commissioners' administration of the portions of county government over which they have direct control.

It is a far different situation than was the case three or more years ago when discord and dysfunction were all too familiar.

What has changed? The commissioners are a three-person team, but the election two years ago of Mark Smith to the board and his selection as chairman was the beginning of a necessary transformation that has yielded, with the support of fellow commissioners John Sullivan and Doug McLinko, much change for the better.

New administrators and managers have been hired in some quarters, and ways of doing things have been improved. County government, in may respects, no doubt is in as good shape, if not better, as it has been in many a year.

Under Mr. Smith's leadership, the county operation has been the focus of logical, systemic analysis; and tough, perceptive, necessary decisions have been made.

A year ago, constituents were a restless lot. Veteran Commissioner McLinko, the minority Republican, continued to be a fiscal stickler. But many constituents still were not convinced that newly elected Democrat commissioners, Mr. Smith and Mr. Sullivan, were on the right track. A hue and cry was raised in and around budget time that promises had not been kept. The tax rate, library and day care were among the targets.

Commissioner Smith stood firm in the face of heated criticism. The groundwork was being laid and it would pay future significant dividends. Stay tuned, he insisted.

Well, the fruits of his and his fellow commissioners labors are easier to appreciate now: A new director of Human Services; a new warden for the prison; improvements at the Manor, including tighter fiscal controls; cutbacks in day-care to put the operation on more stable fiscal footing; a sensible plan evolving for the library; and the Communications Center on a more even keel, to identify some but not all of the beneficial change.

Yet, not everyone is pleased, and reasonable people, including advocates for pet projects, will have to agree to disagree over specific decisions.

On balance, though, while challenges remain, the conduct of the public's business is getting better and better under the direction of sensible, knowledgeable, dedicated elected officials working more or less together under the dome atop the courthouse in downtown Towanda.

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9 posted comments

atta boy & Donna- Doug is in the minority even as a majority party member as he is a true conservative.I don't think he's promoting Doug as much as some think.When you swim up stream in a BOSS HOGG county,as some have called it,you are bound to see all kinds of opposition. The opposition is really bad when the so called party faithful use you as a pawn to support the network they are part and parcel of,you just can't trust anyone.Those who run this county are way ahead of us and even Doug in their scheming.Doug is sometimes off in his timing BUT USUALLY RIGHT when the dust settles, it's worth the wait BUT few do. I'm glad he and the paper are watching tho' little can be done without to voters help.
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johnny white hat,  12/11/09 8:09
Don't think for a minute that the other Smith and his crowknees and the Evans and his corps aren't in lockstep and still running the county and will as long as they can rattle the sabers and everyone cowers before them.Mark and Doug are doing ok but watch out for John he is still loyal to the forementioned.
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johnny white hat,  12/10/09 3:14
Maybe the most impressive thing Mark Smith has done is to rein in Doug McClinko. He was always a wild card, more interested in his own political career than he was in the future of the county. Getting Doug to pull together as a team and not be out grandstanding and blowing his own horn has to be seen as a major accomplishment.
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atta boy to you,  12/10/09 2:42
see what happens when new blood & a younger mind set is set in place! This is what this county needed was a fresh set of new ideals. There is still much work to be done BY the CITIZENS of BC...get out & vote the old blood out! We still have a few years for some of the crow-knees to be re-elected, so remember when their time comes around...vote them OUT!! As far as sending our good workers to Harrisburg...NO!!! Tell Tina to get back on track if she wants to continue to have her job; remind her every day if need be but keep Mark right where he is. He's good for Bradford county.
As far as the day care centers...where did all the kiddies go when they closed down? No one was out of work, so it can be done!!
Thank goddess the Manor is in the black!!
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Thanks the sun )O(,  12/10/09 7:32
In a country that seems to be falling apart by the day, we should be very proud of Mark Smith as our Commissioner. He has done a remarkable job. Congratulations to all our Commissioners on a job well done.
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Donna Vanderpoel,  12/07/09 4:37
As much as I like the changes Mark Smith has brought to county government, I'd like to see him leave the job. I'd like him to run against Tina Pickett. He has the energy and a grasp of the issues that seems to be eluding Ms. Pickett. Right now we need leadership at the state level more than we do at a county level. And we don't have it.
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Ella B.,  12/07/09 9:33
Doug McLinko has been fighting to lower costs at daycare, county manor and the library since Mark Smith was in high school. Keep up the good work Doug!
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concernedcitizen,  12/06/09 11:28
I agree Smith is a good man and we are fortunate to have his services. However, this praise by The Review could be, for him, a kiss of death. That would be a shame.
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Fred Perkins,  12/06/09 9:24
The kingdom building,under and near the DOME,at the expense of the little ppl appears to have slowed,BUT still needs to be worked on and decreased even more...SOME of the "BOSS HOGG" MENTALITY HAS BEEN CURBED... AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE GOOD JOB AND A "HIP HIP HURRAY" that something is finally being done about the rampant runaway tactics under the dome THAT APPEARED TO BE RUBBER STAMPED BY PASSED COMMISSIONER majority...Doug came in pitching fast and late AND its hard to save the game at that point without a team effort and a good rally.... Thanks daily for noticing.
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loco lady,  12/06/09 7:00