The tumult within the ranks of the Cass County government continued last week, as a divided board of commissioners voted to terminate the contract County Administrator Roger Fraser.

In a 4-2 decision, the commissioners approved a resolution to not renew Fraser’s contract with the county, ending his more than two years of employment with the county on Friday. The vote came two weeks after the board tabled the motion to terminate the department head, following the commissioner’s decision to settle a lawsuit with a county employee who had been laid off last year by the administrator.

As indicated by the vote, the decision to part ways with Fraser was not met with adulation with several commissioners, including Chairperson Bernie Williamson. Even Commissioner Dixie File, who voted in favor of termination, expressed her distaste for the decision, saying she had never been more “upset and disgusted” by any other action taken by the elected representatives.

Fraser’s impending departure will once again leave an opening at the top of the county government — over the last five years, three different people have served as county administrator, with each lasting only two years or less before parting ways with the county.

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding his departure, the months to come following the end of Fraser’s tenure will be crucial, as the county sets out to replace him.

And during this period, the rifts that have developed within county leadership over the last several years need to be mended.

While debate and disagreement is, and should be, a part of local politics, continued in-fighting and mistrust will only hamper efforts to find a new administrator, and may sabotage whoever is selected for the position before their first day on the job.

Commissioner Roseann Marchetti suggested last week that a few commissioners meet with the county’s elected officials and department heads to sooth tensions and get everyone back on the same page. We feel this is a good first step towards getting the county back on track.

We hope that our representatives in Cassopolis take this advice to heart, and choose to stand united instead of divided as they attempt to bring stability back among their ranks.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the editorial board consisting of Publisher Michael Caldwell and editors Ambrosia Neldon, Craig Haupert, Ted Yoakum and Scott Novak.