Dear Editor:
The recent release of attorney Kent Borchard from the county has received its fair share of disgust and outrage, with little to no review from a different point of view. Our elected officials are put in their positions to make hard decisions, and as a public, we rarely get to see the personal thought and anguish that goes into making decisions that affect a person’s livelihood. I do not believe our county commissioners have made a public disgrace or should be made out to be villains.
It would be outlandish to believe that there was lots of consideration and thought put into the dismissal of Kent Borchard. I am certain there are many details and situations that the public is not aware of, especially community members that are fairly new to the area, that played a role in the commissioner’s decision. Did the decision seem rash? Perhaps. Was it? Doubtful.
It is also important to remember that when an employee is under contract, when their contract ends, there is no guarantee. One cannot say that simply being in a position for a number of years ensures the employee has a job until retirement. An employer, in this case the county, has every right to not renew an employee’s contract because they feel the employee is not performing the job to the standard that they should. With that, there has been an outcry for transparency in the county. Yet, when the county commissioners make a decision publicly, they are made out to be a disgrace. Some may feel there should be private meetings with the employee before dismissal, but does that in fact create the transparency people have been demanding.
There are two sides to every story, and a unilateral view is rarely accurate or fair. The loudest and angriest parts of our community are typically the ones who never attend a public meeting or discuss their concerns with public officials. A person should always learn both sides to a story and become educated before trying to ruin the reputation of other.
William R. Hume
Rangely
