Dear Editor,

The county council, like the US Congress and state legislature, has a set of rules that govern the way it conducts business. One of those rules and the focus of this letter is Section 3.5c. That rule stated county councilmen were forbidden to communicate in any way or even talk with county employees.

The rule was written years ago and likely was the by-product of a mis-interpretation of the state law 4-9-660 which says: “… neither the council nor its members shall give orders or instructions to any such officers or employees.”

Our county government is an administrator form of government, so under the law the county administrator manages county employees, giving employees orders and instruction on day to day basis. However, that doesn’t mean county councilmen are forbidden to talk to county employees.

In sum, rule 3.5c went beyond the state law and likely the First Amendment of the Constitution too.

The county council recognized this and addressed this rule at the May 3rd council meeting, voting 6 to 0 to eliminate the “no communication with employees” part of the rule. Councilmen can now talk with county employees.

Councilmen can talk with employees, yes. Give them instruction and orders, no. If a councilman gives an employee an order or instruction, they should ignore it; councilmen do not have the ability to do that.

If a councilman asks an employee a question, there is nothing wrong with answering it.

If an employee sees a councilman at the grocery store and thinks his taxes are too high, he is free to say so. It is still America.

If an employee complaints to the council about his job, the councilman should listen but direct the employee back to his manager or county administration to resolve it.

Alex Saitta

County Council – Pickens Rep.