JEFFERSON — Jefferson County Board Chairman Jim Schroeder has plans in early 2019 to again publicly examine the structure of one of the county’s most powerful governmental bodies — the board itself.
“I will be giving a presentation at our special board meeting in January, which will include my recommendation to reduce the size of the board from 30 to 25 members, and combining committees to reduce the overall number of standing committees,” Schroeder told the Daily Times Thursday. “Our strategic plan steering committee directed me to present recommendations on board size and committee structure to the county board. They did not explicitly direct downsizing, but I inferred that it was their intention.”
Schroeder said feedback from board members, so far, is that there is little support for downsizing.
“Some are more amenable to combining some committees,” Schroeder said. “By design, we have not identified which districts might be affected. I’d want the decision made on what’s best for the county overall rather than what the affect might be on specific board members’ districts.”
If the number of districts is lowered, according to Schroeder, the redistributing would not occur until after the 2020 census, most likely in time for the 2022 spring elections.
When asked why a redistribution might be necessary, the board chair said some people are saying the county is “talking about a solution in search of a problem.”
He said his view is that, “Although the current board works really well, a smaller board is ultimately a more efficient board.”
“My proposal would combine committees to reduce the number of standing committees from 11 to seven,” Schroeder said. “Reducing the number of board members and restructuring committees would not result in immediate and substantial cost saving. It’s presumed that it would create efficiencies in the policy-making process.”