Print
Category: Front Page News Front Page News
Published: 27 August 2015 27 August 2015

By Mary Alice Murphy

During the public hearing Thursday at the regular commission meeting on whether to expand the Grant County Commission to five members, two spoke €”one for, one against.

George Ruebelmann, county resident, encouraged the commission to vote to approve the five-member commission. He asked where it was specified that it be a unanimous vote.

Commissioner Ron Hall said a constitutional amendment required the unanimous vote.

 

James Baldwin, county resident, said he was opposed to a five-person commission. "Look at the condition of the mines. We may be looking at layoffs and a reduction in production proceeds. The economy in the area is not good. I have never had any trouble accessing my representative, ever, even since they met in the courthouse. Increasing the number represents big government."

Commissioner Gabriel Ramos said he had had several people ask if the issue could be put up to voters.

County Attorney Abigail Robinson said a poll could be taken, but it would cause the process to begin all over again, with public hearings. The process would still have to have a unanimous vote by the commissioners and would likely cause the 2016 election deadline to be missed because of the required process steps.

Hall moved to approve the motion. Ramos seconded it. Hall voted Aye; Ramos voted Aye; and after a pause, Commission Chairman Brett Kasten, too, voted Aye.

The rest of the meeting will be covered in a subsequent article.