Do you think Montgomery County's switch next year to a county legislature and paid county executive will improve county government?

No it's worse, cause you can't divorce them.

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We put those people in office and then they forget us. It's just like being married.

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I remember a supervisor in the news who was actually very communicative with his ward and was known for holding town-hall type meetings regarding issues for school taxes even if those were before he was elected. Some were standing room only. He was a real 'go-getter.' There was one thing, however, that one particular ward member didn't like and it had to do with religion, which really ticked off one particular war member. A lot of people thought that resident was a bit bizarre for having cast the supervisor, who was otherwise informative, into a negative light over one small issue.

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What - question the wisdom of your stuporvisor?? How inconsiderate of you. You can change the system but nothing really changes if the new system doesn't rid us of the old power brokers and nodding donkeys behind them.

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Skrocki, don't wait for your supervisor to come to you, they show up only when it's time for you to vote, if even then. You have to make yourself known. Get involved, speak up, if necessary be the squeaky wheel...this is what we voted for, not for 'somebody else' to do it for us...they won't and we know it. The ball is now in our court, let's not get lazy and lose the game.

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Yes, it will improve the current form of government, which has just been a battle of party politics with little representation of the constituency. The current County Supervisor that is supposed to be representing my ward, never ventures into my neighborhood and is virtually non-communicative with the people he represents. He only seems to respond to the demands of the Republican Party.

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If, IF, the voters of Montgomery County put any of the current super.'s into the new legistlators positions for next year, nothing will change. The residents have the chance to completly change the wrong way things have been done here, if any of the kings get in there, they will do nothing diff., that wont help us. As far as the executive, if anyone of them want to run they could, but it would be just as stupid to put any of them in that job as well! The Nov election will tell if the future will get brighter for our county, we will all know prior to Jan 1 2014 just what the future will hold!

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We don't hate change in the past. We hate change in the future.

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Well, drf, in an earlier post I gave it year. We're probably going to be shakin' out the blankets for six months. Nonetheless, it's ok with me. Hey rs, don't be such a negative nancy or I'll start thinking you're really some old f*art who hates change and is stuck in the past. I do get your point though.

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MrBoB51- You are right, we do need to give this new type of Government a chance, I wish you luck, lets see where it stands six months from now, is that ok with you?

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Well whatever happens or doesn't it will be instructive to the lords of Fulton County.

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Hilltopper, that's part of the problem. Or so I believe. That position is da-mned from the start:

-the people will elect someone already in an elected position as a supervisor, thereby realizing no actual change whatsoever

-the people will elect 'the loudest mouth', wherein the guy with the most money to spend on political ads gets the most face time even IF he's not actually the most qualified person for the job (as in their recently deceased controller)

-or if the position were appointed instead of elected, they'd just 'appoint' one of their guys they've 'pre-selected'

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By the way drf, that was an excellent example of assumptions, platitudes and metaphors wrapped in an opinion. Well done.

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With all due respect dirtracefan, if a person believes they're going to fail at something, they'll find a way to make it happen. If this gets screwed up, it going to be the citizens fault for sitting on their butts and not engaging in the very thing they ask for....control over local government. We asked for this Charter, we got it. Now is not the time to back up into some imaginary comfort zone and throw shots from the cheap seats.

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At least the county legilators will not be the town supervisors wearing two hats and getting two paychecks. The 15 current city and town supervisors will be replaced by 9 county legilators. The savings on 6 less will essentially pay the county executive's salary. The key feature is that the county executive is an elected position, not a political appointment who was subject to being jerked around by the supervisors in the past.

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Consolidate all of the villages, town, and city governments into one county government. This may be the only way for the county as a whole to survive and reel in the constant tax increases. There are way too many layers of government.

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To be honest with you it will make it worse. As I see it in Montgomery County there are way too many Chiefs and not enough Indians, The New County Executive will want to do things his way and the County Legislature will Battle Him or Her right to the end, therefore nothing will get Accomplished, I guess it will be exactly like Fulton County.

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Farfromcenter...'seems to me' you could not be more wrong about the Charter. I don't know about the rest, it's up to Fulton County. At least we're trying instead of crying.

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Maybe that's because nobody especially around here wants to admit they don't know how to do it any other way.

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It is, "But we've ALWAYS done it that way". How do you get around it?

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It seems to me that it just adds another layer of government bureaucracy and at more expense for the taxpayer . The right answer is to downsize government not make it larger ( unless you are an Obama fan) . consolidate, consolidate and consolidate some more. There is not a need any longer for City, Town or Village governments or separate school & fire districts . Fulton County has 55,000 people with 15+ governments and several school and fire districts. It just seems ridiculous to me

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Just another bloated no good do nothing hack with a big salary as people have their homes foreclosed. Just what we need. More useless government workers. Sharpen the pitchforks.

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Looks like the drive-by naysayers have this one. Could be some schadenfreude from Ful.Co. Hope they're not from Mont. Co.. In a year or so we'll not think or hope, we'll know whether this was a good move or as Rs alluded to, same-old same-old with a smiley face.

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I think this is a good thing, and Fulton County should follow suit. Just look at all the town versus city squabbles among the supervisors. With a county legislature where districts cross town and city lines, all that goes away.

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It will be corrupt like all the other County Executives...ask all the people in Nassau County

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