No-use policy fails after second reading
After months of discussions and rewrites, a contentious policy will have to go back to the drawing board after a motion for its approval failed last week.
The Mercer County Commission voted 2-2 on the no-use policy after Commissioner Gary Murray and Commission Chairman Frank Bitterman had motioned to adopt it during last Wednesday’s meeting. Commisioners Duane Scheurer and Wayne Entze voted against adopting the policy. Commissioner Bill Tveit was not present.
Scheurer spoke first during the discussion on the vote, noting that it had become clear to him that the no-use” policy regarding personal use of county equipment had multiple failings.
“It’s called a ‘no-use’ policy, but from what it says, it allows use, which is one concern I have,” Scheurer said. “The second concern I have is that this didn’t come from the policy committee. In July there was a policy presented to the commission that came from the policy committee that I was in favor of. Basically that left the department heads responsible and accountable for the use of equipment. I was in favor of that policy, but it was voted down.
