Commissioner Smith,
You may not be aware, but among many in our community, you’ve recently earned a new nickname: “Commissioner No Comment.”
Week after week, concerned citizens come before the Board of Commissioners during Wednesday Business Sessions (WBS) to voice questions and serious concerns. Time and again, your response has been the same: “I have no comment.” This pattern of silence is troubling, especially during a time when the County is undergoing dramatic changes that deeply affect residents.
Just a few weeks ago, you and Commissioner Chris Barnett granted unprecedented authority to County Administrator Andreas Blech as part of the county’s response to the employee resignation program. Since then, Mr. Blech has used that authority not simply to manage personnel issues, but to fundamentally reshape the structure and operations of county government.
Many of these changes appear to have little to do with addressing staff resignations and more to do with a sweeping consolidation of power. One of the most alarming actions taken under this new authority was the complete elimination of the Code Enforcement and Solid Waste departments. As a result, there is now no one available to respond to citizen complaints about violations of County code—such as environmental degradation, illegal dumping, or land misuse. These are not just staffing adjustments; they are critical policy decisions that directly impact the quality of life in Josephine County.
Importantly, this was not a decision about personnel management, as allowed under the temporary authority delegated to Mr. Blech. Rather, it was a significant policy shift that should have come before the full board in a public forum, allowing for community input and deliberation. Instead, it was enacted unilaterally and without transparency.
This is not how representative government is supposed to function.
I urge you to reclaim the responsibility and authority that rightly belongs to the full Board of Commissioners. Restore public trust by ensuring that major policy changes—especially those that alter the core functions of county government—are debated openly, not decided behind closed doors by a single administrator.
Commissioner Smith, leadership requires more than sitting silently while democracy is quietly dismantled. It requires courage, accountability, and above all, transparency. It is not too late to step forward, speak up, and serve with integrity.
If you do, perhaps you will no longer be known as “Commissioner No Comment,” but as someone who chose to stand up for open and honest government when it mattered most.
Respectfully,
JJ Scofield