ShareThisBy John McGinness
Special to The Bee
Published: Thursday, Apr. 9, 2009 - 12:00 am | Page 15A

http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/story/1766532.html

Terry Schutten has been Sacramento County's executive officer for nearly 10 years. When he arrived, the county was flush with cash and had competent staff members who understood the complexities of county government.

The fiscal picture has changed for reasons largely outside his control; talented members of his staff have left prematurely, I suspect because of the manner in which he has done business. With that loss of staff, substantive and honest communication within Sacramento County government and with the public has disappeared. It's time for Schutten to do the same.

The members of the Board of Supervisors are smart, well-intended people who are in touch with their constituents and effectively represent the five distinct and diverse districts that make up the county of Sacramento. Some readers may be concerned about their leadership ability when they learn of the continuum of disasters facing county government, some of which suggest incompetence at the top of the county's organizational chart. The problem is the limitation they have when dealing with their own county executive officer.

That limitation is contained in the county charter. It calls for a unanimous vote of the supervisors to terminate the CEO absent specific cause. This is tantamount to a bulletproof contract for the person responsible for the management of county government and the implementation of policy as set by the Board of Supervisors.

The protective benefit in this language likely served a good purpose when drafted. However, persons holding such positions should work at the pleasure of the supervisors, never on a basis that protects an incompetent bureaucrat from the most appropriate remedy, termination from employment.

For years, the county's department heads had been briefed with reliable information, used by the departments to prepare their budgets. In 2008, the stakeholders were kept in the dark as to the magnitude of the fiscal crisis. Some of us questioned the reliability of information provided by the CEO, which suggested that things were not bad, despite the fact that such problems existed all around us.

Department heads were assured the unincorporated area sales tax revenue was expected to see modest growth and that property tax revenue was promising. I did not believe so and imposed a general spending freeze in order to best prepare for what I, and others, believed to be a pending economic crisis.

Much of county government continues to operate as usual. After a bogus assurance of economic stability and unnerving silence when probative questions were asked in response to such assurance, the inevitable crisis has arrived. The CEO has proposed a budget that has devastating consequences on the people who live in Sacramento County. Notwithstanding the Board of Supervisors reaffirming their top priority as public safety, cuts proposed by the CEO would decimate the public safety departments and destroy quality of life throughout this county. These recommendations graphically illustrate the failure on the part of the CEO to recognize and implement the will of his bosses.

There was information early on that indicated this county was facing economic crisis. The leadership in other jurisdictions in the region took decisive action and mitigated the problem. Schutten did nothing to mitigate; worse yet, he published or caused to be published erroneous information that delayed others from making such efforts.

I have long espoused the value of treating people with candor and respect. My harsh criticism of Schutten may seem contrary to that philosophy, and it certainly gives me no personal satisfaction to risk hurt feelings or damaged relationships. However, I owe it to my colleagues in county government, the personnel within my department and the public to speak out when I see gross incompetence and lack of honesty about the county's situation.

I offer no criticism in this writing that I have not shared with Mr. Schutten in person. The reality is he has failed in his very critical role.

The consequences of his failure will affect the county of Sacramento for years to come. It is imperative that a charter amendment be placed on the ballot so voters can take the steps to empower the Board of Supervisors to ensure that no one ever has the opportunity to unilaterally impose such an impact on the taxpayers of this county again.

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John McGinness is the sheriff of Sacramento County.