LOCAL COMMENT - Positive things

I would like to share some information with citizens of Whitman County. By now everyone is aware of the changes made in the finance departments over the last month or so. I believe that we could not continue down this same old path hoping that New World, our computer system, that was purchased in October 2005, would work. It still is not operational.

It was time to make some drastic changes; that are not easy decisions nor are they very popular.

Since that has been done things are happening very quickly behind the scenes here at the county. Since our Information and Technology Director Chris Nelson has taken over as Communications and now Project Lead for New World, we are going in a positive direction. Here are some of the facts that have happened in the last six weeks or so. The New World representative Andy Breeden has stated on a conference call recently that he has talked to Chris more in the last couple of weeks than all four years combined under the old leadership.

Last week June 21 - 24 two representatives from New World were here working with employee’s from Human Resources, Auditors, and other departments. The main focus was on Payroll discussing what is needed in these departments to carry out their duties. Prior to those, Commissioners had a meeting with Anderson Peretti accounting firm that has been under contract for the last several months working on our financial statements. They met with the account liaisons from the different departments to have a better understanding what they are faced with.

There is going to be a systems administrator that will aid the county in having information in accounting and computers so we can move forward to get New World on line as soon as possible.

These are all positive steps that have been going on for some time now.

Pat O’Neill,

County Commissioner

County Commissioner Pat O’Neill this week requested that he be able to publish a letter in this Gazette.

Gazette policy generally does not allow letters from elected officials. O’Neill has several times since his election asked that his letters be published. The Gazette has denied those previous requests on the basis that elected officials already have a forum.

To give Whitman County readers better insight into the District 2 commissioner’s thoughts, the Gazette decided to print his proposed letter. It was then written and submitted by O'Neill.