Being a county commissioner in Oregon is not a ceremonial title. It is a full-time, high-responsibility job with clear expectations: managing county business, overseeing public services, passing budgets, and serving the people of the county with transparency and dedication. The role comes with a significant salary, benefits, and public trust. In return, taxpayers expect their commissioners to show up, do the work, and put the needs of the community above personal interests.
Unfortunately, in Josephine County, the public is getting a front-row seat to a breakdown of this basic social contract. Since January, county government has slid steadily off the rails, leaving vital business neglected and community trust in tatters. At the heart of this dysfunction are Commissioners Chris Barnett and Andreas Blech—one elected, one appointed—neither of whom is meeting the expectations of their office.
It is time for both men to face reality. If they are unwilling or unable to carry out the core duties of a county commissioner, they should resign now and save the public the cost and spectacle of recall elections.
The responsibilities of a county commissioner in Oregon are not ambiguous. Commissioners are expected to work full-time—often more than 40 hours per week—engaging in policymaking, budget oversight, constituent services, public meetings, and intergovernmental collaboration. The position requires discipline, commitment, and accountability to the public. The voters of Josephine County selected Chris Barnett under these expectations. Andreas Blech, though appointed rather than elected, accepted this role knowing full well what it entailed.
Yet the public has been treated to something entirely different. County government has become a stage for personal agendas and self-promotion, rather than a vehicle for sound governance.
Commissioner Barnett, despite having no trouble finding time to act as an amateur newscaster and social media personality, struggles to maintain basic office hours as a public official. When commissioners are unavailable during regular business hours, when they fail to engage in the critical administrative functions of county government, the work simply does not get done. Constituents are neglected, departments are left without guidance, and critical decisions affecting thousands of residents are delayed.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Blech has demonstrated little interest in listening to the public that funds his position. Though he was never elected by the voters of Josephine County, his approach since appointment has been anything but collaborative or open. The role of a commissioner is not that of a lone wolf; it is that of a public servant who must constantly weigh and balance the diverse needs and voices of the community. When an appointed official disregards those voices and operates on personal impulse, public trust erodes even faster.
Together, this pair of commissioners has presided over a county government that is now, by most reasonable measures, in shambles. Essential county business is sidelined, public meetings have devolved into spectacles, and department heads that remain are left in limbo. The public is not seeing the governance it was promised or paid for.
Recall efforts are already stirring, but recall elections are expensive and divisive. Taxpayers should not have to foot the bill to correct a situation that the commissioners themselves could resolve by simply stepping aside. An honorable resignation would spare the county both the cost and the distraction of a prolonged political fight.
Should they choose to resign, Commissioner Ron Smith, currently the lone adult in the room, would be tasked with appointing two qualified individuals willing to perform the duties of commissioner as intended—individuals ready to work full-time, prioritize county business, and engage respectfully and transparently with the public.
Josephine County residents deserve a functioning government. They deserve commissioners who show up for work, conduct themselves professionally, and honor their oath of office. They deserve leaders who put service ahead of self-promotion.
The reality is clear: Chris Barnett is not performing the job he was elected to do. Andreas Blech is not fulfilling the role he was appointed to perform. Neither man has demonstrated a willingness to change course. The most respectable course of action left is resignation.
Let the taxpayers keep their dollars for better uses than a forced political cleanup. Let competent public servants restore the stability and integrity of county government. And let the citizens of Josephine County finally have a Board of Commissioners they can trust to do the job.