Integrity, professionalism and business like conduct. These words describe the necessary attributes of a county commissioner. These words were the hallmark of the previous county commissioners. However, Dan McDonald has replaced them with bully, braggart, falsifier and arrogance. County employees are cowering in fear of their jobs and he has bullied the other commissioners into lock-step submission.

Bill Harp’s “letter to the editor” was spot on. McDonald’s continuing braggadocio concerning his imaginary accomplishments, especially concerning the budget, border on the absurd. Mismanagement of the county airports diminished the capacity of the county to deal with long-term projects and the FAA. The Road Department budget has been significantly cut and yet McDonald claims it hasn’t affected those critical services. It has! Mismanagement and micromanagement are the rule of the day. Foot-in-mouth disease is rampant.

Dan’s comments about the tribe show his crude insensitivity to his surroundings. He claimed the recording of those remarks was doctored. It wasn’t! In addition, lawsuits against the county will continue to mount the longer McDonald runs his circus show. It is McDonald’s continual blaming of others for his problems that is most damning. I have been two years out of office yet Dan still blames “former county commissioners” for his budget and operational problems. That shows weakness of character and his inability to take responsibility for his own actions or in this case his poor decision making.

It is time to get rid of this aberration of a commissioner. It’s time to return the county government to normalcy. Steve Lockwood offers that normalcy. He is rational, experienced and measured in his approach to management. He is not an ideologue with a narrow view of what is good for the county. Steve will bring normalcy and pragmatism to bear as a commissioner. I urge all voters of both parties to vote for Steve Lockwood and bring an end to this reign of incompetency.

TODD SUDICK

Priest River

Former Bonner County commissioner