Do-Over Needed in Privatization Effort

George Wenschhof

As I pointed out in my column last Friday, the presentation by Oliver Porter of PPP Associates LLC, the day before at Winchester Hall, was not worth the $25,000 the Frederick County Maryland board of county commissioners spent on it.

Hiring a firm, on a sole source contract basis, with limited experience in the field, who also stands to benefit should the board retain their services on a consultant basis, is simply taxpayer money ill spent.

In my previous column on this issue, I called for the board to commission an independent study on the privatization of services from a nonpartisan "think tank" such as the University of Maryland. I am pleased my suggestion is receiving support from well respected former Frederick County Commissioner and State Delegate Rick Weldon who said in an email to me "We definitely agree". According to information I received, the Editorial tomorrow in the Frederick Gazette Newspaper will also support a new study.

The rush to privatize by the board of county commissioners also puts a spotlight on some omissions in the Maryland Constitution. Privatization of government services was not a consideration when the constitution was written and therefore a referendum is not required as it is for a change to charter government. In addition, Maryland has no recall provisions for local elected officials.

The privatization changes proposed by the board, which could affect as much as 25% of the county work force ( 500 workers), is such a drastic change to the current approach of government providing necessary services, a referendum should also be considered to allow voters to have their say in the matter. A simple majority on the board should not be the only requirement for such a drastic change.

At a minimum, sufficient time should be given for the public to digest the proposed changes and provide input. Therefore, it is important this process be slowed down from the bullet train approach taken by Board President Blaine Young, who has already scheduled four public meetings in July on this issue.

County residents will not benefit from this approach and the potential for a back and forth swing when a new board is elected in less than four years would only cause more costly expenditures and further disrupt the valuable government services provided to the community.

Instead, what is needed is time to have a legitimate study done with public review of the report. If, the study suggests privatization of various county services would be beneficial and result in cost savings, then a phased in plan should be implemented as opposed to a full scale change in the provision of government services.

Taking a year to see how well a service is provided by the private sector only makes sense before one would consider privately contracting for another service.

The actions by Blaine Young and Company, have been reckless, full of ideology and short on wisdom. Two of the commissioners; Blaine Young and Kirby Delauter have repeatedly said they do not intend to run for reelection. Leading, to no accountability to the voters for their actions while in office.

This carefree approach to governing also points out the need for the state of Maryland to institute a recall election process for local elected officials. A provision, absent from the Maryland Constitution. One, of only a handful of states, who do not have a way to replace incompetent politicians who are harmful to their community.

Frederick County does not deserve fly-by-night and thoughtless representation. Instead, Frederick County deserves a balanced board of commissioners who take a reasonable, fair and effective approach in dealing with the issues.

Frederick county voters should demand it.

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Privatization Effort A Boondoggle for Frederick County Maryland

George Wenschhof

The much ballyhooed privatization report presentation by PPP Associates, LLC took place yesterday and as a result, the board of county commissioners would be wise to slow down and scrutinize fully the ideas espoused by Oliver Porter.

For, it is Oliver Porter and his company who stand to benefit the most if the county would move to implement the changes outlined in the report.

The aw, shucks southern drawl from Mr. Porter included references to how well the county currently is providing services, but how his suggestions, if implemented would provide savings up to 109 million. Of course, if his firm was selected to provide consultation services, they would be willing to do the work for free if no savings resulted from the effort. If, savings did result, they would be willing to only take 1%. All the while, Board president Blaine Young was gulping the kool-aid as it was being poured by Porter.

Let’s see, 1% of 109 million is 1 million and 90 thousand dollars – not a bad consultation fee.

Of course, with PPS Associates, LLC providing the consultation, there would be no conflict of interest, would there? Porter also has to be hoping the national exposure he would receive as a result of Frederick County government hiring his company, would lead other far right wing leaning local governments to retain his firm.

After the presentation, only two commissioners expressed reservations. Commissioner David Gray correctly pointed out comparing Sandy Springs, Georgia to Frederick County was an inaccurate approach as Sandy Springs was a breakaway city from a county which was starting up from scratch. Paul Smith wanted to meet with department heads to discuss more in depth and rightfully suggested taking time to review what had been proposed.

Commissioners Kirby Delauter and Billy Shreve, who are becoming the real life version of Tweedledum and Tweedledee, said nothing as they continue to act in lockstep with their friend, Board president Blaine Young, whose coattails they rode into office.

When public comments were allowed, long term Frederick county resident Margaret Hindman pointed out the Libertarian ties Mr. Porter is known to have and that the private firm he had contracted with to provide services for the City of Sandy Springs was not retained when the contract expired. All of which are legitimate concerns.

Additional public testimony included a good point relating to the proposed selling of county owned equipment, after a private contractor was retained to provide services. If the services provided by the private contractor were not satisfactory and the decision was made to move back to the county providing the service, it would become a costly proposition.

All of which begs the question, if this privatization plan is so great, why only a few small municipalities across the country have chosen to take this route in providing needed services in their communities.

A change as drastic as the one proposed by PPP Associates, LLC is also one in which all voters should have the opportunity to weigh in on. Like a change to charter government, a change to privatization of government services should go to referendum and be placed on a ballot for the voters to decide.

Instead of moving forward, as board president Young is doing; scheduling required public meetings leading to a vote by the board of commissioners on the matter, the wise move to make at this point is considerable research into privatization efforts as well as other innovative approaches to providing county services.

A better approach by the county commissioners would have been to commission an independent think tank, which does not stand to benefit from the analysis provided, such as The University of Maryland School of Public Policy, to provide an analysis of different ways to provide services by county government; comparing privatization, costs and efficiencies. It is not too late for the board to do so.

But, then again to ultra conservatives focused on ending government as we know it, a quick vote is the answer. After all, this representative democracy stuff is a really ineffective system. The current commissioners realizing this already have already reduced the number of board of commissioners meetings by fifty per cent.

The decision by Blaine Young and Company to pay PPP Associates, LLC $25,000 to provide a report which the firm stands to benefit financially from is not only bad form, it is taxpayer money ill spent.

At this point, moving forward with a vote on privatizing county services by the board of commissioners would be a boondoggle of monumental proportions for the county.

Frederick County residents deserve better representation– they should demand it.

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