Decision Making is a Process - Part 2

I posted on July 20th about that day's editorial in the ABH about turning off street lights in Athens.

On that day, the paper declined to publish my letter to the editor mirroring this blog posting. Today, they published an updated letter which was motivated by an editorial published on August 15.

The letter was edited, but I am grateful to the ABH for publishing it nonetheless. The text of the original submission follows:

"On Sunday, July 20, you called the ACC Commission’s decision to revisit their decision to turn off street lights “irresponsible.” That editorial was unfair and counterproductive to good government. In it you suggested basically that either the Commissioners a) forestall all decision making until they have weighed every variable and contemplated every impact each decision might have, and b) once coming to a decision, defend it and maintain it despite any new information that may come to their attention.

I think we should all remember and consider that budget cutting is a difficult task in a county that has added more than 12,000 people in the past seven years, and continues to do so. I am certain the commission was aware that turning off street lights would have an impact, just as they were aware that cutting the street lights avoided other negative impacts. Choosing the lights might have meant not cutting several jobs, for instance, or perhaps not cutting police or fire coverage in some neighborhoods. In the final analysis, it may not be the best place to cut, and our government may have to look elsewhere.

Today you write that considering this issue until the September 2, 2008 voting meeting “might be workable.”

I am pleased to have a government that is willing to go back to the difficult budgeting process when presented with good reasons for reconsideration. Whether they end up affirming their decision, or changing it, the decision making process will be strengthened for it."