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Others offer views to officials on county administrator issue

By John Taylor - | Jan 24, 2007

Leavenworth County commissioners weren’t the only ones weighing in this week on the idea of creating a county administrator post.

Three county residents spoke at Monday’s commission meeting to give their view of the issue.

Bill Mason, a 24-year county resident who now lives south of Lansing, told commissioners he would vote for a county administrator but thought commissioners should reduce their annual $45,999 salary.

“I don’t think we need three full-time county commissioners,” he said, noting he would favor a change to a five-person county commission so commissioners could better serve their constituents.

Leavenworth resident Al Stevens repeated his long-held view that adding a county administrator was wrong.

He urged that commissioners at least “let the voters have a cut” at any attempt to create an administrator’s post.

Louis Klemp, a former commissioner, told commissioners he thought a vote on the issue in April was too early, both for proponents and opponents.

Klemp did, however, offer two suggestions for filling the job.

For a trial basis and as a buffer until a permanent hiring could be made, Klemp suggested the commission hire him.

“I guarantee you, I wouldn’t want to be here long,” he said.

As for a permanent county administrator, Klemp pointed toward County Counselor David Van Parys.

“There’s your administrator right there,” he said.