Dear Editor,
The March 15 primary election is fast approaching, and I want to encourage DeWitt County residents to get out and vote for Michelle Van Valey for DeWitt County Circuit Clerk.
Since taking office, incumbent Pam Barnes has led an office wrought with dysfunction and questionable staffing decisions that affect the taxpayers. It's time for a change.
Hiring and training new people costs the county money and that's exactly what Barnes has done since she took office. Instead of cross-training employees and working to manage their workload, Barnes has fired or lost 12 employees in the three years she's managed the circuit clerk's office. Those employees that do stay are treated with disrespect and are ridiculed when seeking Barnes' guidance.
Barnes also seems to favor only family, as her daughter-in-law was hired, and shortly thereafter was promoted to bookkeeper. What's more distressing is the fact that Barnes and her daughter-in-law serve as the only two signatures necessary on county checks.
Barnes was supported by the Reform Coalition, which counts former board chair Sherrie Brown, and board members Terry Hoffman and Ron Savage as members. These people drained our county's coffers, putting us in financial crisis. Even though Brown, Hoffman and Savage currently sit on the county board, they refuse to work with other board members and are leaving their constituents underrepresented.
I urge you to help make DeWitt County government better by voting Van Valey March 15.
Aaron Kammeyer
Clinton, IL