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Dear Editor,
Just what is the role of the Hamilton County Council?
According to the Hamilton County website for the County Council under the heading “PURPOSE” it states: “The Council is the financial power of the county serving as a check on the Board of County Commissioners,” meaning the Council controls and approves funds for projects the Board of County Commissioners recommends. In other words, the County Council controls the county money.
There are seven members of the County Council; four elected within four districts and three elected At Large. One would expect the County Council members to be independent and not influenced by the Board of Commissioners.
I do wonder if the County Council is really independent and not influenced by the County Commissioners, particularly when the Commissioners donate large sums of money from their political campaign accounts – not their personal funds – to the political election accounts of the Council members.
A review of campaign disclosure statements revealed that during the 2018 Hamilton County General Election, County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt donated, from his campaign account, $4,000 to the election efforts of Council Member Steve Schwartz, $2,100 to the election efforts of Council Member Ken Alexander and $1,000 to Council Member Amy Massillamany (who ran unopposed). All three were elected.
During the same 2018 General Election, County Commissioner Christine Altman donated, from her campaign account, $5,000 to the election efforts for Council Member Ken Alexander and $5,000 to the election efforts for Council Member Steve Schwartz.
Perhaps there are no quid pro quo or legal issues, but with that kind of money involved there is definitely a public perception regarding just how “un-influenced” the County Council Members are.
It certainly does defy logic for the “spenders” of the county funds to be able to help elect the “keepers” of the county funds. As a farmer would say, “That is sort of like having the fox guard the hen house.”
Anita Billingsley
Sheridan