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A recent article in The Inter-Mountain spoke of Elkins City Council looking to possibly change the charter of the City to allow Mayor Jerry Marco to possibly hold another office. This concerns me and I think it should concern the people of Elkins, and of Randolph County, if the position is county related.
The government of this country was designed to be about checks and balances. The City Charter or the Constitutions of the state and country saw it that no one person, position or branch of government get any more power then the other.
Imagine the mayor also holding a Randolph County Commission position or, worse yet, a City Council seat along with being mayor. If the bylaws for the county commission allowed them to run for office and they got elected into the City Council, how do you think they would have voted on the recent TIF? A few votes turned and no TIF.
In other words, if a vote were taken in the other office that the mayor might hold, how would it effect the other body of government he also governs? Even if it were, dare I say, dog catcher, it would take away from governing the City of Elkins.
Food for thought: If you've held more then one job at sometime in your life, you know how difficult it can sometimes be. You know two jobs is a balancing act. Trying to remember schedules, did I stock the shelves? Did I turn the reports in? Imagine holding two political offices.
This, by no means, is an attack on Mayor Jerry Marco. I salute him on some of the projects he and the City Council have completed., But... this is too much power to be given to any one person and would be a distraction. Whether you govern from the city level all the way to the federal level, it's about checks and balances on every level.
As far as this situation is concerned, aren't there some ethics involved here? To Elkins City Council, do not pass this potentially new addendum to the City Charter. He was voted in as mayor. He put this City on course for a change. With a new political position, would he have time to complete his plans?
If he is that passionate, he can step down and run for the office he wishes to be in. Or finish his term as mayor.
Clark Martin
Elkins