by Dan Mancuso,
publisher
Well as I write this, I have no idea how the election will go. Thank you to all who supported me and if not me, I thank those who voted at all. I have my fingers crossed. I don’t think I will make the top two, but who knows.
Last week was the first budget hearing for the upcoming 2024/2025 budget. I was the only person on the budget committee that had an issue with the decrease in funds for the sheriff’s budget. When I asked about it, the budget director stated that it was a political decision. I continued to push and finally was told that I was grandstanding. Those who voted for the law enforcement district did so because they were banking on the commissioners giving the sheriff the same percentage of the general fund as they previously had, but it appears we were sold smoke and mirrors.
The other citizen budget members and Commissioner Dan DeYoung were pretty quiet, while Commissioners Baretschiger and West continued to defend their position. The article by the Courier left out the important details about the meeting like how when I point it out, was told it was a political decision. Instead they wrote about who else was on the board as if it was all of our decision.
Here are the facts, there is money they can use and are not willing to do so for unknown reasons. It almost makes one wonder if the intent is to get the public to recall the district. I am not saying it is, I’m saying it makes me wonder.
Moving on. Congrats to our baseball and softball teams for making it to the playoffs. The children in the Valley are our greatest assets, we should revel in their successes.
Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up the “Police Blotter.” We have made a few changes and our very own Rosie Wittman has taken the helm, and now writing them. Rosie has big shoes to fill but I think her wit and humor is up to the task.
The big shoes I mentioned are Zina Booth’s. Zina’s upstate New York dry humor was legendary. Zina has been making the blotter interesting since I purchased the paper in 2010, even before I think. Zina rode off into full time retirement after the March 31 Blotter. I can’t really call it retirement as she never charged me.
Zina was at the house I rented with the keys to let me in my first night in CJ. She even helped me unload a 26-foot U-Haul. We had some rough times over the years, she even quit and moved at one point. But for some silly reason we always managed to stay in touch. Zina, I cannot thank you enough for being there when I needed you the most. Thank you for kicking me in the pants when I needed that too. I will never forget you and for everything you did for me the past 14 years.
Readers, please give a huge I.V. thank you to Zina Booth for her years of entertainment.
You can watch the county budget meeting at https://www.josephinecounty.gov/government/board_of_county_commissioners/agenda___minutes.php.