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Newman demands a turn at the helm of Board of Supervisors
By Shar Porier/Wick Communications
BISBEE - Cochise County Supervisor Paul Newman pressed his fellow board members in a bid to become chairman during a work session last Tuesday afternoon (Jan. 9).
In Newman's thinking, the chairmanship should be shared among the board members so that all have the chance to serve in that position and bring their districts' issues to the forefront.
"I think you've done a great job as chairman," Newman told current Chairman Richard Searle. "But what about rotation? I want the right to be chairman in the next two years to bring my constituents' needs to the forefront. If the board says 'no,' then is there a procedure to take it to the people so that they can decide? Would you go along with that?"
County Administrator Jody Klein said a county statute approved by the state Legislature sets up the method of the board electing the chair.
"We don't have the power beyond what the Legislature gives us," Klein said.
Newman pressed forward.
"I want to make a formal request to rotate the chairmanship," he said. "I've made the request before."
Searle then responded to Newman.
"I believe that leadership should be earned, not mandated," he said. "We all have different management styles. Meetings can get out of control easily. You have to be even-handed, even-tempered or the meeting can get contentious. I think we should leave it alone."
Supervisor Pat Call, who previously served as the board's chairman, agreed.
"Richard, you have hit it on the nose," he said. "Rotation shouldn't be a forced issue. I want it left as is."
Newman repeated that his constituency requested the change of chairmanship.
"I think we should trust each other enough to change leadership," he said. "The innuendo because I am who I am and I don't represent good leadership qualities is offensive. I have more government experience than you. I object. The power of two makes a win, but doesn't make it right. Leadership is about fairness and sharing. I pray that this body will do that. I will continue my objections."
Newman also wanted to eliminate the majority vote needed to approve work sessions as he has since April 2005, when the current policy was placed in effect. He said it prohibited him from serving his constituency and deprived them of their right to representation. He wants to be able to call a work session whether Searle and Call agree with it or not.
Searle said he could take on any subject he wanted to and that rule did not preclude him from that.
"What it does preclude is the minority position to monopolize staff members," Searle told Newman. "You can't monopolize staff time and board time on an issue the board doesn't support."
Klein said the board debated the issue after taking office and determined a majority vote from the supervisors was needed to approve work sessions in an effort to save staff time and the county money. Since the initiation of the rule, the number of work sessions dropped from 81 in 2004 to 55 in 2006. Only two requests have been turned down in two years, one of which involved action of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The problem, Newman insisted, was he was unable to research issues using staff time and resources for what is considered a minority position.
Call said any supervisor could research issues to a point without the need of overburdening staff.
Deputy County Attorney Britt Hanson was asked for his opinion, but while giving it, Newman interrupted him and again commented on his First Amendment rights.
"We're not having a work session on First Amendment rights," Hanson said. "My understanding was this is a work session on policy issues. If you want a legal opinion, ask for a legal opinion. But if you're looking for legal advice on First Amendment rights, I'm not going to sit here and give you something off the top of my head."
Mike Jackson, McNeal resident and in Newman's district, was given the opportunity to briefly address the board and gave a history of the proceedings and Newman's continued objections since the policy was enacted. Jackson said he personally feels the policy was enacted to stifle Newman's voice.
"(The policy) denies equal representation to the voter's in District 2, and therefore violates the 14th Amendment," Jackson said. "It dilutes votes by allowing representatives from district 1 and 3 to prevent Newman from obtaining discussion on the concerns of his constituency."
Positive things have come out of the current policy on work sessions, opined Searle, and he saw no reason to change it.
Call agreed.
"We all work under the same constraints," he said. "We talk to the department heads and take it as far as we can, then we go to the board."
Newman then continued his argument.
"If you guys don't want to change the rules, I certainly understand," he said. "But, in my opinion, it abridges my First Amendment rights. And I will continue my objections to it."
The third item on the work session agenda was about meetings times and locations. Newman suggested taking the meetings on the road occasionally to the outer areas of the county and holding evening meetings.
Klein called several other counties and found most boards meet only monthly and hold morning meetings.
Newman said people in his district requested that night meetings be held so they could attend.
Call said that was tried and, more often than not, there were few people who attended. He also felt a fiscal responsibility of taking staff and equipment on the road, which he thought could be an unnecessary expense.
The board discussed possibly televising the meetings to satellite offices in the outlying areas. But neither the technology nor adequate facilities are in place to accomplish that goal in the near future.
They may, however, decide to hold special meetings in certain cases where public opinion is strong in the area of concern rather than at the main office in Bisbee.
They also discussed looking into holding one meeting a month in the evening.
Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Daily Review reporter Shar Porier can be reached at 515-4692 or by email at shar.porier@bisbeereview.net.
In Newman's thinking, the chairmanship should be shared among the board members so that all have the chance to serve in that position and bring their districts' issues to the forefront.
"I think you've done a great job as chairman," Newman told current Chairman Richard Searle. "But what about rotation? I want the right to be chairman in the next two years to bring my constituents' needs to the forefront. If the board says 'no,' then is there a procedure to take it to the people so that they can decide? Would you go along with that?"
County Administrator Jody Klein said a county statute approved by the state Legislature sets up the method of the board electing the chair.
"We don't have the power beyond what the Legislature gives us," Klein said.
Newman pressed forward.
"I want to make a formal request to rotate the chairmanship," he said. "I've made the request before."
Searle then responded to Newman.
"I believe that leadership should be earned, not mandated," he said. "We all have different management styles. Meetings can get out of control easily. You have to be even-handed, even-tempered or the meeting can get contentious. I think we should leave it alone."
Supervisor Pat Call, who previously served as the board's chairman, agreed.
"Richard, you have hit it on the nose," he said. "Rotation shouldn't be a forced issue. I want it left as is."
Newman repeated that his constituency requested the change of chairmanship.
"I think we should trust each other enough to change leadership," he said. "The innuendo because I am who I am and I don't represent good leadership qualities is offensive. I have more government experience than you. I object. The power of two makes a win, but doesn't make it right. Leadership is about fairness and sharing. I pray that this body will do that. I will continue my objections."
Newman also wanted to eliminate the majority vote needed to approve work sessions as he has since April 2005, when the current policy was placed in effect. He said it prohibited him from serving his constituency and deprived them of their right to representation. He wants to be able to call a work session whether Searle and Call agree with it or not.
Searle said he could take on any subject he wanted to and that rule did not preclude him from that.
"What it does preclude is the minority position to monopolize staff members," Searle told Newman. "You can't monopolize staff time and board time on an issue the board doesn't support."
Klein said the board debated the issue after taking office and determined a majority vote from the supervisors was needed to approve work sessions in an effort to save staff time and the county money. Since the initiation of the rule, the number of work sessions dropped from 81 in 2004 to 55 in 2006. Only two requests have been turned down in two years, one of which involved action of the Planning and Zoning Commission.
The problem, Newman insisted, was he was unable to research issues using staff time and resources for what is considered a minority position.
Call said any supervisor could research issues to a point without the need of overburdening staff.
Deputy County Attorney Britt Hanson was asked for his opinion, but while giving it, Newman interrupted him and again commented on his First Amendment rights.
"We're not having a work session on First Amendment rights," Hanson said. "My understanding was this is a work session on policy issues. If you want a legal opinion, ask for a legal opinion. But if you're looking for legal advice on First Amendment rights, I'm not going to sit here and give you something off the top of my head."
Mike Jackson, McNeal resident and in Newman's district, was given the opportunity to briefly address the board and gave a history of the proceedings and Newman's continued objections since the policy was enacted. Jackson said he personally feels the policy was enacted to stifle Newman's voice.
"(The policy) denies equal representation to the voter's in District 2, and therefore violates the 14th Amendment," Jackson said. "It dilutes votes by allowing representatives from district 1 and 3 to prevent Newman from obtaining discussion on the concerns of his constituency."
Positive things have come out of the current policy on work sessions, opined Searle, and he saw no reason to change it.
Call agreed.
"We all work under the same constraints," he said. "We talk to the department heads and take it as far as we can, then we go to the board."
Newman then continued his argument.
"If you guys don't want to change the rules, I certainly understand," he said. "But, in my opinion, it abridges my First Amendment rights. And I will continue my objections to it."
The third item on the work session agenda was about meetings times and locations. Newman suggested taking the meetings on the road occasionally to the outer areas of the county and holding evening meetings.
Klein called several other counties and found most boards meet only monthly and hold morning meetings.
Newman said people in his district requested that night meetings be held so they could attend.
Call said that was tried and, more often than not, there were few people who attended. He also felt a fiscal responsibility of taking staff and equipment on the road, which he thought could be an unnecessary expense.
The board discussed possibly televising the meetings to satellite offices in the outlying areas. But neither the technology nor adequate facilities are in place to accomplish that goal in the near future.
They may, however, decide to hold special meetings in certain cases where public opinion is strong in the area of concern rather than at the main office in Bisbee.
They also discussed looking into holding one meeting a month in the evening.
Sierra Vista Herald/Bisbee Daily Review reporter Shar Porier can be reached at 515-4692 or by email at shar.porier@bisbeereview.net.
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