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Letters: A commissioner can't govern from Afghanistan

 
Published Oct. 12, 2016

Governing abroad isn't governing

Not long ago, there was a great deal of criticism of the county administrator's performance, in particular by Jeff Holcomb, a.k.a. the absentee commissioner. If anyone should be resigning from Hernando County government, it is Holcomb, who is in no way performing his job here.

He thinks he can sit in Afghanistan with a satellite phone and be aware of what is going on with his constituents 5,000 miles away. That is ridiculous. Granted, most commissioners continue doing their normal jobs while doing a part-time commissioner job, but at least they are here when needed. A "virtual" bucket or sponge will not help a flood victim. Nor will a "virtual" commissioner.

The county election law requires that a commissioner reside in the district they represent. I would suggest that means year-round and a physical presence. Otherwise, all the commissioners could all maintain two residences in different parts of Florida.

All the voters I have talked to are very pleased with the continuity and supervision of the county's day-to-day operations provided by our first "long term" county administrator, Len Sossamon, and the fact he is doing a great job bringing in new high-paying jobs is yet another feather in his cap. Maybe he should have an elected position and be over the commissioners.

So goodbye to Jeff Holcomb, and please encourage Len Sossamon to stay a very long time.

Doug Adams, Spring Hill

No issue with VA health services

I want the public to know that I have been to different branches of the VA, from the East Coast to the West Coast. I am at the present time going to the James A. Haley unit on Cortez Boulevard, west of Brooksville. I have not had any trouble getting taken care of. In any of the states I have been in, I have had no long time waiting for what I have had done. I like the use of the VA van to get to different VA units.

Arnold E. Heth, Brookridge