Opinions, memories differ between commissioner and Veterans Service director

Highland County Commissioner Tom Horst took a few moments just prior to the official start of the June 20 board of commissioners' meeting to criticize The Highland County Press' online letter to the editor from another county public official, Highland County Veterans Service Director Robin Brown.

That's fine. He's entitled to his opinion. So is Director Brown. And I take no offense from either's opinion.

The only thing this newspaper is attempting to do in this matter is report what's going on with the Veterans Service Commission budget and an as yet unaddressed request by the former VSC board president.

With all commissioners present and with seven others in the meeting room today, Horst called Brown a "liar" and said she's "stirring a lot of crap."

The commissioner referenced a May 30 letter to The Highland County Press in which Brown said: "(The) past local practice, as it has been quoted to me by County Commissioner Tom Horst, and our newly appointed representative, Kevin Barreras, (with a witness, I might add, on April 19), was that the Veterans Service Commissioners have received and agreed to instructions to recognize the practice of a 'gentlemen’s agreement' to minimize spending for our veterans and families in order for the county to utilize the remainder of funds for other county services."

During the Wednesday, June 20 county commissioners' meeting, Horst denied having that discussion with Brown.

Later Wednesday, Brown insisted the conversation did take place via a telephone call on April 24, not April 19. "I am not a liar," Brown said. "I am a Marine. If they can pull the commissioners' phone records, you can see my office was called."

Brown copied The Highland County Press on an email to the commissioners regarding a budget request for this year. "Afterward, Tom Horst called me to tell me that there is no money left for this year, and added the comment of the gentlemen's agreement," Brown said.

"The bottom line is that the conversation took place with Tom Horst on the 24th of April after I sent the email; and two hours later, the same comment of the gentlemen's agreement was made with my staff present during my conversation with Kevin Barreras. I requested during my conversation with Tom Horst to meet to discuss. To date, no further discussion has taken place."

While I cannot pretend to know whose memory is more accurate, I can offer that, in most circumstances, it is unbecoming a public official to call another public official a liar. (Bill Clinton's and Richard Nixon's presidencies notwithstanding.)

Commissioner Horst was offered the opportunity of submitting a public rebuttal to Brown's letter. He refused, but insisted his words be published. (I did tell Tom that I wasn't going to write the letter for him.)

When I pointed out that his comments were not part of the public meeting (as the commissioners hadn't called the meeting to order), as soon as Commission President Shane Wilkin called the meeting to order, Horst again demanded that his comments were meant to be on the record.

So be it.

Horst did not attend the June 19 Veterans Service Commission meeting and I have to question whether he would have demonstrated the same zeal in front of the 30 or so veterans in attendance. Perhaps, perhaps not. He did make an offhand comment about why he did not attended the VSC meeting, but I cannot recall with accuracy what the comment was.

However, what remains in question is why the Veterans Service office budget remains unaddressed.

Commissioners have stated they haven't look at the budget as proposed for 2013. Are they obligated to by Ohio law? The Ohio Revised Code says: "The Board, at its June session, shall make the necessary levy, not to exceed five-tenths of a mill per dollar on the assessed value of the property of the county, to raise the amount that the board approves."

Brown references Ohio Revised Code 5901.11: "On or before the last Monday in May in each year, the Veterans Service Commission shall meet and determine in an itemized manner the probable amount necessary for the aid and financial assistance of persons entitled to such aid and assistance and for the operation of the veterans service office for the ensuing year. After determining the probable amount necessary for such purposes, the commission shall prepare and submit a budget in the manner specified in division (C) of section 5705.28 of the Revised Code to the Board of County Commissioners which may review the proposed budget and shall appropriate funds to the commission pursuant to Title III, section 5705.05, and sections 5705.38 to 5705.41 of the Revised Code. The Board, at its June session, shall make the necessary levy, not to exceed five-tenths of a mill per dollar on the assessed value of the property of the county, to raise the amount that the board approves."

Unless it schedules a special meeting, the board of commissioners has one more meeting in the month of June – next Wednesday, June 27.

At the June 20, commissioners' meeting, Commission President Shane Wilkin said the VSC board will be invited to the June 27 commissioners' meeting to discuss its office location and the proposed 2013 budget.

Meanwhile, Highland County Veterans Service Commission Board President Ray Alexander said on June 19 at the VSC board meeting: "We will not change the budget."

Brown provided a spreadsheet that indicates past budgeting practices within the Veterans Service Commission have resulted in $827,000 of potential veterans' funding over the past five years that has been returned to the county's general fund.

At the June 20 commissioners' meeting, Horst said if the VSC budget was fully funded as submitted it would be "detrimental" to other county departments.

Last month, former VSC board president Richard Kisamore requested outside counsel be appointed to hear the budget dispute.

"I do not believe there is any way in which the interests of these two offices can be harmonized or reconciled for purposes of representation," Kisamore wrote.

"Because the Highland County Veterans Service Commission has an adverse interest with the Highland County Commissioners' Office, which requires separate counsel for the purposes of providing representation in the matter of this budget dispute, I hereby request on behalf of the Highland County Veterans Commission that you initiate the statutory procedure with the court of common pleas to apply for an appointment of an outside attorney as special counsel."

To date, the commissioners have not publicly addressed Kisamore's request.

Folks, these are all basically good people and good public officials. There are understandable concerns and valid points on both sides. If the county commissioners have genuine concerns about the increases in funding for the Veterans Service Office, they ought to explain these concerns to the veterans themselves as well as to the taxpayers.

If the Veterans Service Office can operate with an increase somewhere between current funding and maximum allowable funding, it should give a little, too.

Let's stop the name-calling, calm down, and work on a reasonable solution. We're all better than this.

Rory Ryan is publisher of The Highland County Press.