Letter to the Editor (Verndale Sun)
To the Editor:
The first year on the Wadena County Board was interesting, to say the least. It was time-consuming to learn, not only about departments and issues but also to look into the history of how we got to where we are.
How do we go forward? I believe it starts with a better informed and involved board. More scheduled and dedicated work sessions with a separate agenda. Along with the current commissioner committee reports, standing reports from the coordinator and auditor, and other department heads as requested from the commissioners.
Also, a slow down on spending requests. There is no reason to have a spending request show up on an agenda on a Friday to be voted on Tuesday a.m. We need to review all committees and decide if there is a need for them. Many of them are needed or required by statute but they have a tendency to decide things that should go to the board first.
At our meeting on December 21, it was decided to pay commissioners a straight salary instead of a salary plus a per-diem for each meeting. This will be more transparent and reduce some of the variations in commissioner salaries that may have occurred in the past. The amount budgeted for commissioners dropped in 2021 and will be frozen in 2022 as well.
Murlyn Kreklau
District 4 Commissioner
Comments