Letter to the Editor: Bond, Shames Bond

Our Pike County Bond Rating was reduced once again. We are considered stable. Our reliance on the federal government is our Achilles Heel. We tried to put ICE on it, yet our rating still dropped.

Our three County Commissioners manage the county Finance Department. All questions and comments, I was instructed, need to filter through the commissioners. They are doing their best to keep our taxes level. We need to possibly give them some ideas.

We have a county with many varied departments. I saw over 36 specific entities on the county website. Our county provides an amazing multitude of services for us. Are they needed, are they used, are they redundant or are they productive and effective?

Our County Emergency Management staff must have a list of critical, essential and non-essential work processes for our county’s mission. Are there county staff that are performing work that county citizens can have the state or their municipalities achieve for them? Are there funding sources that can pay for some county activities? Simply put, do we need all county functions now in place?

Is our county funding for its designated “mission” or are we over extending the services provided by our County? Our three commissioners should allow the taxpayer to decide. Will our commissioners engage taxpayer dialog, maybe over coffee? Let’s wait, wait some more, then ask again.

Kevin Holian
Dingman Township