The nine member Commission on Cuyahoga County Government Reform is considering ways to re-structure Cuyahoga County's government to make it more efficient and relevant to 21st century. At its meeting Wednesday, Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones said he strongly favors consolidating similar jobs like recorder and auditor, and that it would be better to appoint-rather than have the public elect-jobs like the coroner or engineer.
JONES: Perhaps at one point in the state and the county's history it made sense to elect them, but it's my understanding that only a handful of people in the county even qualify to be the county engineer.
The big question facing the panel, though, is whether it would be better to throw out the current three commissioner system and replace it with something along the lines of a CEO and an elected council.
Jones didn't endorse a plan, but raised some concerns about the executive model-saying some counties with that form spend more money and have more tensions. He says the structure is not the most important consideration.
JONES: It will always be the quality of the elected officials-whether it's a CEO and council or three county commissioners-that ultimately makes the difference.
As Jones spoke, his re-election opponent Debbie Sutherland sat quietly in the audience.
The commission is still gathering ideas and assembling case studies of similar reform efforts elsewhere, and is under pressure to meet a November deadline for submitting its recommendations. It invited all three county commissioners to the meeting. Only Peter Lawson Jones accepted.