Opinion : Letter to the Editor: Former Supervisor Weighs in

Dear Editor,

As a former Benton County Supervisor I would like to comment on the current lawsuit filed by the former Benton county Human Resource director against our county officials. Remember the charged are innocent unless they readily admit they did wrong or are found guilty by trial and neither as yet has happened.

When Benton County originally advocated for the first time hiring a H.R. director, I urged Supervisor Seeman to vote NO. Hiring a H.R. director would only add to more government bureaucracy and spending and it did. Then an assistant was hired.

Now I see where the current director is asking for $45,000 for new software. What next, the use of a car? WHEN IS THE SPENDING GOING TO STOP!! Now I would like to know where, when, and who's idea of adding a H.R. director to Benton County came? I personally, if possible, would like to see the H.R. position rescinded.

Why would we try to fix something which I never saw broken? Now I ask if, and I say if, there is a monetary settlement or verdict, is the money coming again from our Heartland Insurance as was the $250,000 'butt smacking' incident? Heartland Insurance may only pay out so many high dollar claims.

Now again I ask what if, and again I say if, Heartland insurance drops us as a client, and as a person of intelligence told me, going out in the open market to buy 'our' liability could be expensive, may be almost prohibitive!

And last, after all the recent chaos in the Benton County courthouse, who really is at fault? Did anyone ever give thought that we the voters may also be at fault? We selected and elected them. Sometimes we just get and deserve who we voted for!

Terry Hertle