There is a serious management problem in Island County government.

Sheriff Mark Brown proposed replacing the highly trained $45,000 per year Director of Emergency Management with untrained deputies who cost the county $93,000 per year. And if those deputies have the time to also take on this additional job, why aren’t they using that time for the job they’re already trained at?

Shifts for (at least some) deputies on patrol overlap by 2 hours. Cutting the overlap to 1 hour would save 7.5 percent in deputy patrol time while still providing as much patrol coverage on the roads.

The county commissioners have asked for and gotten help from the other unions of county employees in this economic crisis, but Sheriff Mark Brown hasn’t even asked the deputies union about helping out.

Every other county department head has managed to keep their department functioning in the face of budget cuts far over the 5 percent the Sheriff’s Department has been asked to absorb. Yet, Sheriff Brown can’t seem to find a way to save even 5 percent.

All three county commissioners have donated substantial portions of their compensation back to the county. Sheriff Mark Brown is still taking his full salary.

Yep. There is a serious management problem in Island County government.

Steve Erickson

Clinton