Letters to the Editor

The Comet welcomes letters to the editor responding to articles and events in the news. They must include the author's name, address and telephone number. The letter writer's name and city/town will appear in the paper - no exceptions. Letters must be 400 words or less in length. Please send your letters to: editor@carrollcountycomet. com; Letters to the Editor, Comet, P.O. Box 26, Flora, IN 46929 or P.O. Box 179, Delphi, IN 46923; or fax 574-967-3384 or 765-564-2010. By submitting a letter or opinion article, the author grants the Comet the right to publish, distribute, archive or use the work in print, electronic, on-line or other format.

Citizen participation is needed in Camden

Camden residents are encouraged to attend the Dec. 11 Camden Council meeting to show their support of the proposed wastewater improvement project. The town missed being awarded funding in the latest round of grant funding by just six points! The support of every person is needed to make this next round of applications a success.

Letters of support are needed! Residents are encouraged to write letters of support for the project. Local involvement is necessary and desirable. If a person is unsure what to write, help will be available the afternoon of Dec. 11 in the Camden Community Building.

Anyone having questions should call the town office at 574-686-2121.

Plan now to attend the meeting. You will make a difference.

Patricia Casserly

Clerk-Treasurer Town of Camden

Questions insurance coverage for officials

After attending the joint commissioner and council meeting on the 14th, I am mystified as to how this group is prioritizing taxpayers' expenditures.

The county has been notified by the State Board of Accounts that we have been operating illegally for a considerably long time (last three audits). The county is broke and we were strongly reprimanded and told that we must have a plan to get our general fund out of a deficit by Dec. 27.

It is a serious crisis. Because it is serious, I understand that we must cut as much spending as possible and every place possible. I do not disagree with this. But in comparison, how can we cut $2,000 to care for the drug dog from the sheriff's department, $l0 once a year for a birthday for a senior citizen at Carroll Manor without looking at the fact that taxpayers are paying for insurance for our council and commissioners?

According to information supplied by Auditor Beth Myers, there are three council members who do NOT take taxpayer money for their personal insurance. These three are Ann Brown, Ron Slavens and Steven Ashby, and I personally thank these three individuals for saving taxpayer money (especially in our current financial crisis). The following elected officials do take taxpayer money to pay for their personal insurance - Commissioners Mears, Brown, and Hylton, and Council members Baker, Hendress, Cripe and Abbott. Additionally, Myers' report indicates that taxpayers are paying for family coverage for Mr. Abbott and Mr. Hylton. In addition, we are also paying for the coroner.

Officials are only paying $10 a month out of their own pocket for their personal coverage. Total expenditures to the taxpayer, according to the auditor, are $43,948.80 annually. Her report also indicates that although Mr. Abbott and Mr. Hylton are paying a portion of their respective family coverages, taxpayers are footing part of those bills too. Why?

These officials have other incomes. They own businesses, farms, and/or have other jobs that enable them the ability to pay for their own insurance. There are many taxpayers who have full-time jobs who cannot afford to pay for their own insurance.

I believe the pay structure without insurance needs to be addressed. As insurance premiums go up, many counties no longer pay for this coverage for part-time officials. I have asked these officials to consider cutting these insurance benefits in light of our financial crisis. It remains to be seen just how much fiscal responsibility they feel they owe this county considering they are, in part, responsible for this problem.

Shirley Inman Brookston (Carroll County)