KIOWA — Ongoing disputes among the three Elbert County commissioners are creating a “very dysfunctional” situation, and leadership at the commissioner level is “nonexistent,” according to a survey of department heads and elected officials.
Commissioners Kurt Schlegel and Robert Rowland have disagreed with Commissioner Larry Ross on a variety of issues. The boiling point came weeks ago when Rowland and Schlegel voted against oil and gas regulations while Ross voted for them.
“To say this board of county commissioners is dysfunctional is a compliment,” Schlegel acknowledged. “Hopefully, this gives all three of us a good perspective on where we’re at and what we need to work on to be a functioning board.”
Ross was slammed in the report, compiled by Tim Buchanan of Timotheos Inc. Top department and elected officials said Ross is self-absorbed and a bully, among other things.
“Commissioner Ross’ leadership abilities rely solely on threats and intimidation based on how important he believes himself to be,” one respondent said. “He is a detriment to progress, growth and development of services and functions county governments regularly provide.”
The report was presented to the county commissioners last week, and the comments were anonymous in order to seek a true evaluation of the commissioners, Buchanan said.
Ross did not return several phone calls seeking comment.
While the comments about Ross were harsh, those surveyed were indifferent to Rowland and slightly complimentary about Schlegel.
Rowland said he was puzzled by one of the people surveyed who said Rowland “often makes knee-jerk reactions to complaints without first seeking all of the facts.”
“Overall, the lack of coordination between the three commissioners is probably causing a lot of stress in the employee ranks,” Rowland said. “We need to do a better job of working professionally and set aside our political differences.”
But this being Elbert County, some believe politics were in play when the survey was commissioned, even though all three are Republicans and all voted in favor of the survey.
Local resident Robert Thomasson said if the board wanted a true evaluation, other county employees should have been interviewed as well.
“The whole thing was a sham as far as I can tell,” said Thomasson, who is a Ross supporter and campaigned for Ross and Rowland during last year’s Republican primary. “This survey they did was given only to the people who would have been favorable towards Rowland and Schlegel.
“If they wanted to truly take the temperature of the county, you go to the rank and file and ask what’s going on.”
Rowland and Schlegel, who participate in the Tea Party in Elbert County, denied that they had ulterior motives, such as trying to make Ross look bad because he has differing viewpoints. They said they voted for the survey to get a valid assessment of their performance and to try to improve as a board.
Regardless, locals are getting weary of all the political infighting.
At the Canyon Trail Grill food trailer on the parking lot of the Elbert County administration building, owner Robin Downs constantly hears people talking about the discord among the commissioners, although she hasn’t witnessed it herself.
“They seem to go out of their way to disagree with one another,” Downs said. “I know they don’t get along. The people who come here say they’re not happy with them.”
Another place with people in the know in Kiowa, Elbert County’s seat, is the Barr Bear County Cuts & More, where owner Leann Goetz cuts many of the locals’ hair, including Commissioner Rowland. Goetz said this new regime on the commission seems to be doing a better job than previous ones.
Still, she acknowledged, there’s a long way to go.
“Our town has been the same for seven years and nothing’s changed,” Goetz said of the turmoil. “I would like to see some actual progress.”
As for the report, there were plenty of criticisms to go around that weren’t just aimed at Ross.
One person surveyed said the overall state of county government was “dysfunctional, childish and broken,” while another said communication among the three county commissioners was “poor at best.”
One common theme was that the commissioners need to stop micromanaging county government. Another was that commissioners should work to bring more of a positive dialogue among the different political factions in Elbert County.
Buchanan noted that the bullying and intimidation is putting Elbert County at risk for a lawsuit, so the board needs to come together quickly.
The board was encouraged to have a retreat and to get out in the community more often to hear concerns of the residents.
“The politics of Elbert County have a decidedly scorched-earth modus operandi,” Buchanan noted in his conclusions. “There are no minor differences. All disagreements of direction of the county are life-or-death struggles.”
Carlos Illescas: 303-954-1175, cillescas@denverpost.com or
