For both the review of accomplishments and the "TO DO LIST" the Board of Supervisors and the Essex County Government are considered to be the Legislative/Policy/Finance part and the Executive/Administrative part of county government. Some elements of county government are established by the Commonwealth and operate in direct support of Essex County.
Only major items affecting open government and transparency are included in the lists below.
ACCOMPLISHED DURING 2012
1. Employed Bill Pennell as acting Essex County Administrator. Mr. Pennell is a dedicated practitioner of open government and transparency. He maintained an open door policy and was very quick in responding to requests for information that should be in the public domain.
2. Actively and openly sought public opinion in the process of recruiting and selecting a new County Administrator.
3. Completed, approved, and is publishing a new County Personnel Manual. This essential document was long overdue. It clarified authority, updated position descriptions, and ensured that personnel policy were brought into conformity with current federal and commonwealth laws.
4. Work was started on the creation of a comprehensive Essex County Government Internet Site. The original site (graded a D-) has received some updates but remains a work in process. Several Departments within Essex County Government have independently established web sites to provide better service to our citizens.
TO DO LIST FOR 2013
1. Review and format the Essex County Ordinances to comply with the standard Municipal Code format and place the Essex County Ordinances on the web site as a searchable database. The only complete copy of the Code that I am aware of is a 5" by 7" binder in the County Administrator's Office. Shouldn't our citizens have ready access to the county laws? The Town of Tappahannock Laws are readily available (and searchable) on the town web site.
2. Improve the Budget Process and Access to the Approved Budget. A recent survey by the Virginia Coalition for Open Governments of county and town budgets identified 26 localities which received an "F" grade. Essex and Middlesex Counties are the only nearby localities that did not provide adequate online access to their budget (and include sufficient information to understand the sources and specific uses of funds). There is essentially no cost to publish comprehensive online budget data which includes assumptions, rationale, and explanations of changes from the prior year. Essex County Government should ensure that the entire budget development process is open to the public and not provide a single public hearing before submitting the budget to the Board of Supervisors.
3. Design and Establish a Comprehensive User Friendly Essex County Government Web Site. See Accomplishment #4 above. Much of the information published by ESO over the past 6+ months can be incorporated in the new web site (position descriptions, wage data, contracts, etc.) at no cost.
4. Implement Evening Hours for All Regular Board of Supervisors Meetings. Many citizens are unable to attend daytime meetings. Scheduling all regular meetings would allow citizens to attend and participate in the local government process.
5. Conduct a Wage and Benefits Survey of the Surrounding Counties. A current survey is an essential tool in determining the fairness of local government employee compensation. Special attention should be given to the fairness and adequacy of law enforcement personnel and other first responders.
6. Ensure that All Subdivisions are Afforded Equal Protection by County Ordinances. The Board of Supervisors should ensure that persons living in subdivisions are made aware of the proper process to seek a public hearing.
The foregoing "To Do List" was prepared solely by ESO and is does not represent all of the issues that the Board and local government must address. We recognize that there are a number of initiatives being developed by the various Departments within our County Government. We ask our Board of Supervisors to continue to encourage individual creativity and initiative. We believe that our county employees, the citizens who provide the essential government services, are the best sources for innovations, improved procedures, and greater efficiency.
John R. Clickener
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