Jarman responds to editorial

Opinion

Dear Editor:

I feel I must respond to a couple of comments you made regarding my “knee jerk reaction” to a recent request before the Council for funding of a non-budgeted item. This was not a knee jerk reaction. I had before me a request for "between $123,000 to $150,000" to fund the upgrading of the maps and photos for the GIS System.

In my opinion, the maps and photos we have now are more than adequate. Not all departments use the GIS System regularly, for example: the Planning Dept. most recently has used GOOGLE. I expressed the opinion that if this were a real necessity for the County, it should be brought back for the 2014 budget process.

Most importantly, if the County Departments have an extra $123,000.00 that can be appropriated from their budgets to spend on maps and photos, perhaps there are more important and pressing ways to spend the tax payers money? Re-instate some jobs that have been lost or cut back to part time?

For the general public’s information, the photographing began last week. Yes, I voted NO, and would again.

I do my homework before every meeting, with exception of the one I was physically unable to attend.

I have read the CAO, probably not every sentence, and I've watched many, many hours of deliberations, micromanaging and word-smithing of the past Council while putting together the CAO.

Bob Jarman
County Councilmember, Dist. 1