Hamilton Vetting Cronyism In County Government

David Hamilton is to be commended for his decision to suspend County Engineer and Department of Public Works Manager Charles Mixson for 10 business days and demand he take steps to reorganize his department during a subsequent six-month probationary period.

Actually, Mixson should have been fired.

You can be certain that every other department head in Hernando County has uncompleted projects and corruption that lies beneath the press radar. After all, until Hamilton arrived, department heads were virtually unaccountable for their actions or spending.

In this case, Hamilton was forced to act quickly in that county employees were caught stealing.

The biggest departmental discovery of all will be within the all knowing, all seeing county legal department where all department roads lead to and from. Standby Mr. Coller and fellow colonialists.

Historically, Hernando County administrators have had a life span of only 18 months during the past 10 years, and county commissioners, about four years.

No doubt the county department heads have been running the county for three decades. Because of this, the highest cost within our county government has been cronyism. In other words, your choice of the tail wagging the dog or the inmates running the asylum.

Along comes David Hamilton. Hamilton has a very tempered personality and resume including being a city council person for several years, a mayor of a medium sized city and county administrator for a few counties before arriving here.

He has a thick skin, he's smart, a penchant for detail and does not take things personally. In my opinion, he is truly looking out for the taxpayers.

Now, if we could get our county commissioners to seek out corruption, end wasteful spending and cut property taxes, they'd all qualify as the next governor of the state of Alaska and future vice president of the United States.

So there.

JAZ Zydenbos

Weeki Wachee