Commissioners get a lot of public comments on things they have no control over at meetings – Lancaster Eagle Gazette

LANCASTER The three Fairfield County commissioners have no control over how state and federal authorities manage the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. But for almost two years now the pandemic is basically all citizens who speak at the weekly commissioner meetings talk about.

Citizens are granted three minutes to address the commission on any topic they choose. However, the commissioners rarely respond on the spot because the three minutes are not a question-and-answer session.

Commission president Dave Levacy and commissioners Jeff Fix and Steve Davis all said they welcome public comments and have no plans on changing the format or allowing only comments related to county business.

"Obviously, we could do that," Levacy said. "But we don't want to be too restrictive in what people want to talk about. I think people have concerns and it's OK if they want to express those concerns."

However, Levacy and Fix said they wish speakers would stick to county issues instead of issues like COVID-19 mask mandates and vaccine mandates. For example, one speaker gives the commissioners handouts each week on issues that are not county specific.

But Levacy, Fix andDavis all said they have no issues with how the public comment portion of the meetings are going.

"First of all, I respect everybody's right to speak," Levacy said. "Obviously, the First Amendment gives us that privilege. I think it's important we stay focused andlook at the things we can possibly change and not focus on areas that we can't change. People should focus on the things we in Fairfield County can change and not in areas that we have no ability to change."

Some speakers have asked the commissioners to make the county a sanctuary county for various issues like mask mandates and Second Amendment issues. Levacy, though, said that is not a place he wants to go.

"We county commissioners don't have the ability to legislate," he said. "So when some of the counties take that approach, basically they're doing it for the visuals, for the optics. It really has no legal justification. I think it's a waste of time. We don't have the legislative authority. That's done by the state legislature."

Therefore, Levacy said people should talk to their state officials on state-related issues instead of the commissioners. However, he said it's important that everyone voice their concerns and that he has no problem with that.

But he said long-winded conversations rob the commissioners the time needed for county business.

"That's my only concern," Levacy said. "If we had an unlimited amount of time it wouldn't be an issue. But we don't."

Fix said the commissioners welcome public comment. But like Levacy, he said he wishes people would stick to county issues.

"We every week get a reading of things that don't apply to what we do as county commissioners," Fix said. "I've told those people that they'rewelcome to come in and talk to us about that stuff, but that's not what we do.

"We don't decide on mandates for vaccines or masks for anything like that. That's all outside of our purview.But nonetheless, if they want to come and air their grievances and this is the place they feel comfortable doing that, so be it."

Fix said Levacy is technically correct in saying that outside issues take time away from dealing with county issues. But he said he wants all constituents to feel comfortable coming to meetings and talking about what's on their mind.

As for limiting discussion to only county business, Fix said that would be less welcoming to speakers.

"I know there are people who attend our meetings virtually or in person who get frustrated and often leave the meeting when people get up to talk about vaccine mandates that don't really have anything to do with us," he said."But some people who choose to spend their time and talk to us about what's important to them, that's important to them.

"As challenging as it may be to go through that every week when it doesn't really apply to what we do, I feel like we owe it to the public to hear them out on whatever topic is on their mind."

Davis would appear to be the most lenient of the three commissioners on the issue. He said he has no problem with people talking about issue not related to county business.

"We shouldn't be trying to monitor content because I just don't know when to stop it you start doing that," Davis said. "It's really hard for me to intellectually think about what is or isn't county business. We're a very complex $190-millon organization and we touch a lot of things.

"So for me to say that, 'Well, you said this and we don't have anything to do with that.' In some attenuated way we probably do. So I just don't want any content regulations."

jbarron@gannett.com

740-304-9296

Twitter: @JeffDBarron

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Commissioners get a lot of public comments on things they have no control over at meetings - Lancaster Eagle Gazette