Why has Freeborn County lost 50 employees out of 320 over the last three years? According to an article printed by the Albert Lea Tribune, the county is discussing, “revamping its job descriptions and starting salaries to address the issue.” This is the best they can come up with?

Before “revamping” job descriptions and “raising salaries,” maybe Freeborn County Commissioners and the current management team should ask themselves these type of questions:

• What is Freeborn County’s turnover rate?

• Do those positions truly need to be refilled?

• Was Freeborn County overstaffed to begin with?

• What are the reasons people term?

• Are exit interviews completed consistently? If so, what are the results?

• How many of those employees retired?

• How many of those employees were fed up with current management?

• Does Freeborn County leadership have “enough” experience to lead Freeborn County?

• How are complaints on management dealt with?

• How many of those employees were fed up with old, outdated computer systems?

• How much bullying goes on at Freeborn County?

• Is Freeborn County truly an Equal Opportunity Employer?

• Does Freeborn County truly follow a veteran-friendly system of hiring?

• Does Freeborn County still hire with “the Good Ole Boy” mentality?

• Are the right people currently in the right positions?

• Do all management staff have appropriate credentials and degrees for their roles?

• Do the commissioners hold progress back?

• Does Albert Lea offer anything special to bring in recent grads?

• Maybe it is time for management change?

• Should Freeborn County get rid of departments that drain funds such as IT? IT was outsourced once — many counties share. Is the IT department efficient or inefficient?

• Is Freeborn County stuck in a 1990s time warp?

If the “old” is not working, change is what is needed. New people. New ideas. Streamlining processes and procedures. Systems that make work efficient. People who have an efficiency mindset. Out with old! Vote, Freeborn County! There are new people who want to make a change and have the education and experience to make those changes. Term limits are needed, and if the “old” is no longer working, then it is time for a change! What the county is proposing will be at a cost to all of us.

Sue Tasker

Geneva