A solution: Special Olympics dilemma a chance to do something good

People in glass houses should not throw stones.

This is a principle the county commissioners should keep in mind as they continue to navigate yet another rocky community shore.

If they do, they might actually be able to avoid another unnecessary public relations shipwreck.

The current dilemma involves a request that the county join with the city to fund an events coordinator position that would help save the county's Special Olympics program (and by "county," we mean the citizenry's county, not the official government body).

The commissioners had already been discussing limiting nonprofits' access to county funds and have asked the county manager to analyze all of the county's expenditures of this type. They also suggested that nonprofits be asked to produce statements regarding their financial health and their fundraising efforts.

And, in all fairness, funding another county position is a big deal -- and there isn't an unlimited pot of money. So, asking questions is reasonable.

So, it also is not surprising that the commission balked -- there it was, right in front of them, a nonprofit dumping a problem on the county because it was not prepared.

So, let's entertain the notion that the right thing to do was to send the Special Olympics packing -- and to lecture the public about "stepping up to raise the funds" to save the program and to chastise the unpaid volunteers for not informing the commission earlier of the impending director's vacancy.

On the surface it seems like a pretty solid rock to stand on, right? Not so fast.

This is the same commission that approved, in short order, a nearly $200,000 expenditure for  improvements to their meeting room -- to ensure they could be seen better on television.

And that leads to bad decision No. 2 -- spending money to televise your meetings and adding thousands of dollars to the salary of a PR person because you don't want to talk to the media.

(Insert reply that you weren't being treated fairly by the media, so you needed someone to handle their unfair requests that you comment on county business BEFORE it is a done deal.)

And by the way, the city also has a PR person whose job seems to be to travel around the city and interview people for a show very few, if any, regular people bother to watch.

We would be remiss also, if we did not also point out that the city has spent millions on non-fruitful projects in the last couple of years.

But city officials DID offer to cover half the cost of the coordinator -- if the county came up with the other half.

Both groups also have healthy budgets for food at their meetings -- a luxury they could easily sacrifice for the good of the community.

But, wait a minute. In case you missed it, a solution has presented itself.

Why not create a joint venture between the city and the county to save the Special Olympics, with minimal investment from either.

Why not put the two public relations people in charge -- at no additional salary -- of coordinating the local volunteer effort to save this worthwhile organization?

There are many positives to this suggestion.

A. You can justify having PR people.

B. You won't have to pretend that anyone watches some of these TV programs and meeting broadcasts -- although we would be willing to entertain commentary from anyone who watches who is not affiliated with the county or city or the program that is being featured that week.

C. You can save gas money on the TV truck and perhaps rent out the TV equipment.

And finally, and most importantly, you can be the heroes without having to spend a bunch of money. Sounds like a win-win to us.

There is nothing wrong with being vigilant about the county's pocketbook, but to say that a program that has helped so many people -- and that other nonprofits' missions -- do not serve the county's stated purpose is short-sighted to say the least.

The county's most important job is to take care of its citizenry. All of the other duties revolve around that purpose.

This program helps 650 people now, with the potential to help thousands more.

Why not approach such a request with a can-do attitude?

This is no black-and-white issue. And to take it as one would be just plain wrong.

And for any public official to sit there and look into the face of one of those athletes and his father, and to listen to the difference Special Olympics has made in his life, and not to bend over backwards to lead the charge to find a solution is wrong, too.

And just because it irks us, let us point out that this community is one of the most generous in the state. The people of Wayne County are always ready to give to help someone else. The citizens do not need a lecture on "stepping up;" it happens every day.

This is not a matter of stewardship. It is a matter of leadership.

The new commission has shown real restraint lately, playing well with others and moving beyond the politics and "foot in mouth" disease of commissions past.

Its membership seems focused on doing whatever it takes to make this community a stronger, better place.

Perhaps they will show us that same commitment once again.

Published in Editorials on January 24, 2015 11:50 PM