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Maple should keep commissioner seat

We endorse the re-election of Dave Maple to the office of Jefferson County commissioner.

Maple is the acknowledged budgetary encyclopedia for the county budget. He has brought his business management skills to bear and county officials describe him as having his trusty laptop handy, at the ready to look at the spreadsheets that represent just what was planned and what was spent in the county budget.

He has been a commissioner for three terms. When he started, the county industrial park off county Road 43 was nearly empty. It thrives today. The county worked to reduce its budgets and live within its means as steel declined. And, Maple knows that the county has to do what it can to support programs to better prepare the local work force for the jobs that have come after steel.

He understands the need to maintain contact with the manufacturing base, and works as an independent self-employed metals consultant.

He rightly defines the role of the county commissioner in the state of Ohio as one of supporting other elected officials and their goals, to provide budgetary support and not take over the departments of other elected officials, and to provide leadership on budget and operating procedures.

His opponent, Beth Rupert, understands the needs of the community and its neediest citizens. She speaks of the need to consider the impact of needed social programs and sees the commissioners as having a greater role in social programming.

Her heart is bigger than the duties of the commissioners, which are more toward providing the infrastructure and budget and operational oversight to be sure the county is in a position to grow and prosper. We fear her view of the office would lead to direct management of other departments led by officials who are elected by the people, too.

Rupert’s knowledge and drive need to continue to be put to work advocating for the less fortunate, to be sure issues don’t go to the back burner or are ignored.

But, we don’t think the office of commissioner is a place for social activism.

It’s a clear-cut job of administration and management, and Dave Maple does that well.

He deserves to be re-elected Nov. 8.

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