Our leaders need good working relationships in order to allow shared principles, not personality, to guide decision-making for county policy and to allow us to better confront the issues we face. The ongoing conflict among Cache County officials has resulted in the loss of valuable time, effort, and taxpayer's money.
Jon-David Jorgensen has stated, “As a member of the Cache County Council, I will work to find common ground with other elected officials and all members of our community. I will re-open the county government to the people. And I will work to reduce the size and scope of even our local government.”
I am a firm believer in what Abraham Lincoln called "public opinion baths". That is, giving a forum to the public to be able to share their concerns directly with their representatives. As a County Councilman, I will push for opening back up for a regular public comment period during County Council meetings.
Unfortunately, large financial commitments have been approved without going through a competitive bidding process, costing taxpayers millions of dollars. We must live within our means. Jon-David will work to accomplish this by working with our County departments to review the operating budget to eliminate wasteful spending, ensure all expenditures have been budgeted and appropriately authorized, by continuing a review of current code to determine whether outdated or overly burdensome rules should be repealed or replaced, and by requiring legal processes to identify cost-effective solutions, such as bidding out contracts, are fully implemented.
Members of the County Council must work with all elected officials in the county in an environment of cooperation and mutual respect. Trust can be restored by working directly with other elected officials, while allowing them the autonomy necessary to operate in the most efficient and effective way possible. In addition, the County Council must operate by the maxim, of “trust but verify” to ensure compliance with state and county law and policy throughout all County departments.
The recent failure to implement both County-wide garbage collection and emergency services have forced many of our cities to turn to higher-cost solutions. While respecting the sovereignty of each city, I will work to foster cooperation, and address mutual needs and concerns.