Council government for Berkeley
Berkeley is only one of four counties in the state with the supervisor form of government. County voters will have the opportunity Tuesday to decide whether to continue that system. Voters should endorse a council-administrator form of government.
The supervisor question has repeatedly been an issue in recent elections.
Supporters of the supervisor form of government say it allows the elected head of a county to take quick, decisive action. Unfortunately, it doesn't guarantee that those decisions will be right.
Under a council-administrator form of government, the elected council would collectively set policy. A professional public administrator, presumably with experience in the field, would be hired to carry out that policy.
The council-administrator form of government is derided by its opponents as government by committee. To an extent that's true. But the system provides for more deliberation and continuous accountability throughout the process. That's increasingly important as Berkeley faces major growth and development issues.
Thirty-four of the state's 46 counties, including Charleston and Dorchester, have a council-administrator form of government. Clearly, it has merit to a majority of county governments in South Carolina.
If there is a legitimate criticism against the council form of government it is that council members are elected from single-member districts and too often have a parochial point of view. Berkeley voters can address that issue to some extent by voting in favor of the second ballot question, to have one of the council's nine members elected at large, presumably to serve as chairman.
The at-large council member would have a heightened status on council and would represent the broad view when policy questions are discussed. Meanwhile, council could hire a professional to take care of the nuts and bolts of county government.
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