No matter what you call it, it wasn't quite good enough

Some would call it being slow on the uptake. Some might call it dropping the ball. Some could call it missing the boat. And the very old adage would talk about not seeing the forest for the trees.

However you want to refer to it, the county council didn't look too competent at theWednesday morning meeting when, after adopting a hike in economic development income tax for 2008, it was realized they had to publish the rate hike and hold a public meeting. They knew about the deadline at the beginning of September, at least. It was already Sept. 26 and the deadline was Sept. 30. They just didn't have the time left in the month. They were slow on the uptake.

The Comet is a weekly paper. We all know that. If you decide oneWednesday to do something that has to be advertised, it will be a week before the public gets to read it. This is not news. To not keep this fact in mind when dealing with legal issues is nothing more than dropping the ball.

Council members have been very diligent in poring over the budget and trying to save resources wherever possible. They looked at every minute detail of every budget request searching for spare change here and there trying to make up for what is sure to be a shortfall - perhaps a huge one. They are to be commended for the time and energy they spent working for the betterment of the county. They determined they weren't good enough in the past about looking at the level of income to compare with the amount of dollars appropriated. They are willing to take the heat about that.

But when a possible increase in funding which might help the bottom line on income could be secured for 2008, one would think that option would be pursued to the fullest extent as soon as possible. Granted, the total amount would not pull the county out of the financial hole it finds itself in, but it would be something of an improvement. But, they missed the boat.

This isn't a horrible thing. The county will get past this fairly quickly. But how about the next time?

Taxpayers expect county leaders to have their fingers on the pulse and to be on top of and discussing publicly every possible funding avenue for the county. Did council members become so involved with the budget that they couldn't see the forest for the trees?