Letter to the Editor:
Why is it that some Grant County incumbents don't know their jobs, but they keep those positions for a full eight years, after which they are termed out? This is ‘incompetence' or worse.
One treasurer blamed computers and other factors to cover inabilities to make financial reports. We paid for all kinds of ‘help' to cover this.
The County Clerk's office didn't process five new registrations for 23 days this spring. By that time, the books had closed; people probably didn't get to vote in the primary. Candidate for District 38 state representative Terry Fortenberry pulled those names and charged District 38 Rep. Dianne Hamilton for using unregistered signatures.
The elections deputy is supposed to assign clerks and judges from lists that political parties give the county to represent them at the polls. The assignments have little or nothing to do with the lists. The deputy doesn't attempt to cooperate here.
Do county commissioners read their own handbook? One tried to embarrass a candidate who quoted information they should have used years ago, and embarrassed himself. Then the assessor read the wrong section of State Statute as proof the candidate was wrong. The same information was in his handbook, too. He should have known it.
The sheriff's men ganged the Administration Building at that same meeting and surprised commission-meeting attendees on the excuse that they didn't want to profile the person they were suspicious of. They didn't arrest the person, but they trampled the rights of citizens who might have a case against all that wanding in the halls. We can't pay for these mistakes, believe me.
If the State didn't have guidelines or handbooks, if there were no online programs for their training, officials might have an excuse. But these people keep excusing themselves. For more of the same, just do nothing. It will continue. Some of you voted them in. Shame on you!
Margaret Hopper, Silver City
