I'm beginning to hear some rumblings against the idea of closing the county attorney's Ark City office. I actually thought I would hear more when the story broke last week.
While I can see the technical reason for the move, I'm beginning to think that the political and psychological damage would not be worth the few thousand dollars a year in savings on utilities.
In fact I'm hearing that this might instigate a push to reopen a tag office in Ark City, which apparently created quite a squabble when the county closed it years ago.
This feeds into the Ark City Winfield rivalry and the perception that Ark City gets snubbed not being the county seat.
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22 comments:
I don't think it has anything to do with AC/Winfield stuff like you suggest. Winfield is after all the county seat. Sounds to me as if you are trying to stir stuff up!
It is very difficult to take time off work to go to Winfield to get car tags (not to mention how "happy" the employees up there are to wait on you). It would be nice if there was a way to have a satellite attorney/tag office in AC.
David,
Why don't you and your Dad, (as the Traveler) or maybe as a member of ACI you can convince them to just fund that office?
Just write them a check!
Ah, I didn't think so!
You certain can't/don't want to run Government anything like a REAL business!
While it it important to watch the counties costs, we are NOT including the cost of the court appointed attorneys to drive to Winfield to get information, (we the tax payers will pay that each and every time in milage fees) or of the Clerks and sec, and their milage. We are not including the new utilities for that increased load of workers in Winfield, extra phone lines, and such. The District court operates in Arkansas City.
Arkansas City bears an equal taxation of Cowley County, and we should be receiving somewhat comparable consideration in the services.
I used to work down the street from the Ark City County Attorney's office. Part of my job was to run errands, mostly to the banks. I noticed many people going in to this office. Most of them looked to be quite poor. They had to get rides from people or walk, ride bikes, or drive very unreliable cars. How are those people supposed to get to Winfield if they close this office. Do we have public transportation that will pay to take them to Winfield, I doubt it.
Why not place the County Attorney and a Tag office in one building in AC?
Lord knows there are plenty of empty offices available if the current Attorney's office is to small to hold both....
The county attorneys office, District Court and the tag office should all be located in Winfield. Why waste our tax dollars with duplicate offices in Ark City?
I think that Arkansas City, should retain the County attorney's office and re-open the tag office. I don't think that it is duplicating the offices I think it is serving all the taxpayers at very little if any additional cost.
If Arkansas City is so determined to keep the County Attorney's Office in AC, then they should pay the utilities and the upkeep. It's stupid for the whole county to pay for something only AC uses. Commissioner Snell should propose that if he is so vocal about the proposed change.
Your distain for Arkansas City is showing.
So you are saying that the citizens in Arkansas City are not to have any consideration, they are to have taxation without representation. Are you saying that OUR County Commissioner OUR Representative Gary Wilson should not stand up and be OUR voice. In this instance Jean Snell is a citizen who spoke his mind. Much in the the same way you did....
"The county attorneys office, District Court and the tag office should all be located in Winfield. Why waste our tax dollars with duplicate offices in Ark City?"
Make you a deal... Winfield can keep the Attorney's office and AC can have the Tag office. We can split all the offices, half of them in AC and half in Winfield.
Make you a deal... Winfield can keep the Attorney's office and AC can have the Tag office. We can split all the offices, half of them in AC and half in Winfield.
It is amazing how the current LEADERSHIP is so focused on how to spend the TAXPAYERS dollars. Not on building the Private Sector and Private Sector Businesses!
That makes you wonder who is going to pay for all those things with an aging population and those with lower incomes! (Many who pay little to no taxes at ALL!)
Their answer:
Ah, those who have jobs and the RICH! (Even State and Nationwide!)
What if the don't or CAN'T!
You get what you pay for - and you got to live with whatever you are willing to BUILD!
Problem is those who don't want what you can offer won't even come and some those who are already here won't STAY!
So, KEEP ON FIGHTING!
Your distain for Arkansas City is showing.
So you are saying that the citizens in Arkansas City are not to have any consideration, they are to have taxation without representation. Are you saying that OUR County Commissioner OUR Representative Gary Wilson should not stand up and be OUR voice. In this instance Jean Snell is a citizen who spoke his mind. Much in the the same way you did....
Your distain for Arkansas City is showing.
So you are saying that the citizens in Arkansas City are not to have any consideration, they are to have taxation without representation. Are you saying that OUR County Commissioner OUR Representative Gary Wilson should not stand up and be OUR voice. In this instance Jean Snell is a citizen who spoke his mind. Much in the the same way you did....
Your distain for Arkansas City is showing.
So you are saying that the citizens in Arkansas City are not to have any consideration, they are to have taxation without representation.
Hmm! You made a very good point!
If you want to go Tit for Tat - what about Cowley College?
Should it have a Campus in Winfield? (Maybe instead of buying the Old Hospital in Ark City?)
It's time the Games stopped and the efforts to be more effcient and spend wisely to the benefit of ALL the taxpayers in the County and Cities!
Btw: I'm certainly encouraged by the appointment of the new Citizens Efficiency Comittee. I just hope it doesn't turn into another CLUB or something to be added to ones resume!
Lastly, I certainly wouldn't expect any other kind of response from Snell! (He made his living off spending taxpayers dollars!)
It's time the Games stopped and the efforts to be more effcient and spend wisely to the benefit of ALL the taxpayers in the County and Cities!
Sorry I should have proof read my post.
It's time the Games stopped and then use efforts to be more efficient and spend wisely to the benefit of ALL the taxpayers in the County and Cities!
You obviously are not a well informed newspaper man. There is more than utilites in the operations of the county attorney office and district court. Rent to Ark city for the use of the AC bldge; costs to the county for duplications of machine for nDistrict Court; phone systems to connect the district court and county attorney to the Winfield courthouse; maintenance of bldg downtown that house the county attorneys office - check it out;
Aren't the Ark City attorneys accepting court appointed attorney fees now from Winfiled and not objecting to driving there? Winfield attornies accept court appointments in Arkansas City and there has been no mention of their costs submitted for mileage. Mr. Newspaperman - research the original purpose for the opening of the Arkansas City court. Was it not so that the attorneys could file cases in Arkansas City and not have to go to Winfield? Why are they accepting court appointments in Winfield?
Why is there so much empty space in the courthouse and the taxpayers have to pay taxes to pay rent to the city of Arkansas City for rent to house the Arkansas City district court? Isn't half of the court on the second floor shut off? What happened to the Sheriff's apartment? What about the empty appraiser's office? Come on newspaperman - learn the full picture here and do your job to fully inform the publec.
Who is actually opposing the closing of the county attorney's office - the public or the politians worried about votes for the next election??
February 25, 2011 10:59 AM
Both
Anonymous said...
Who is actually opposing the closing of the county attorney's office - the public or the politians worried about votes for the next election?? February 25, 2011 10:59 AM
faulted logic here. If the candidates feared closing would affect their electibility, that pretty much says, the public opposes. There is a connection between the voters and the public. It's called THEY ARE THE SAME PEOPLE!!! Duh.
Why does the local issue have to create all this drama? Let's imagine for a moment that there are other counties in the state. Let's even imagine that there are other counties in the nation.
And, while we are using our imagination, let's pretend we could see how other counties handle service to its taxpaying constituents.
I think, rather than attacking the meesenger (Mr. Seaton) or the local policy makers and conjuring up that same old stale argument about conspiracies, we can just look at how other counties handle it and do so affordably.
Anonymous said...
Who is actually opposing the closing of the county attorney's office - the public or the politians worried about votes for the next election??
Oh, c'mon people!
Its A TALE OF TWO CITIES and how they want to fight over Public tax dollars and which town might get the shaft!
Instead of spending their time figuring out how to grow the AREA!
Which in itself would create more revenue and provide for more government services!
Conspiracies? I think not - just real stubborn, sometimes nasty, and all too often STUPID!
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