More on Union County Board of Supervisors

From Leslie Wurster

Candidate for Union County Supervisor

Since the primary elections, I have attended all but two weekly Union County supervisor meetings. At the Aug. 30 meeting, I came to the conclusion that the Union County secondary roads department is in “complete disarray,” and the board of supervisors has lost control.

I’m sure Mr. Latham is worthy of a raise. BUT, is it realistic in this economy to give him a 24 percent raise when his current salary is comparable with other county assistant engineers? If passed, Latham will make approximate $2,000 less than the county attorney who has a college degree, law degree, passed the Iowa State Bar and is held accountable to the state of Iowa.

I ask Supervisor Jansen, “If the next couple of years bring drought conditions, do we reduce Mr. Latham’s salary?” and “Why did you not suggest Mr. Latham’s salary be addressed at the same time as the chief deputy’s?” and “Why did you vote NO on June 21?” I wouldn’t be surprised if there are threats of Latham’s retirement going on behind the scenes…who knows?

The secondary road department spends over $4 million Union County tax dollars. The largest department budget in Union County. I personally have received complaints of road graders driving up and back on roads not using their blade; county trucks and equipment spotted “chatting“ in low areas out of eyesight. On Aug. 2, pictures were brought to the board’s attention of a road employee asleep in a county-owned vehicle on the side of the road. What next?

The county engineer reported that they are 100 percent complete putting down rock and area quarries are out of rock until December. What about the roads that surround multiple road construction sites and are still riddled with multiple large dry mud holes and sand pits?

Employees are only as good as those who supervise them. Where is the oversight? Who is actually accountable for this department and its employees? Perhaps along with the board of supervisors, secondary roads needs a “shake up.”

It gets worse. The CNA stated in the Aug. 31st edition regarding the Latham contract, “…King, the supervisors and Jack Lipovac, recently acted on Jansen’s proposition drafting a contract tying Latham’s salary to Akes.”