The new year is just four days old, but there is a sense of optimism in the air. Jobless claims are finally stating to edge ever-so-slightly downward, there was a decrease in holiday fatalities brought on by excessive partying, and county government continues on a positive progression forward with the upcoming selection of a new county administrative officer.

With so much of which to look forward, county government needs to focus on one glaring exception to the otherwise wonderful steps in the right direction

The Office of County Counsel needs a housecleaning. Specifically, Ms. Ruth Stringer needs to go. If she refuses to leave her position voluntarily, county supervisors need to show her the exit regardless of expense. No more excuses and no more delay; time for a change in that department is long overdue.

The reasons necessitating a change in that office are numerous, so the question is where to begin?

Well, for starters, Ms. Stringer has neglected her duties by exhibiting a lack of truthfulness in dealing with her superiors – namely, members of the board of supervisors. Specifically, Stringer’s blatant refusal to accurately discuss and delineate the reasons for the high cost for outside litigation. A good example of this would be Stringer’s involvement in the civil action against former county official Bill Postmus. Ms. Stringer’s office has allowed an outside litigator to run up nearly a half-million dollars in legal fees before the defendants have seen a courtroom or deposition.

While other counties’ in-house counsel has attracted top legal talent, Ms. Stringer’s office has failed in this regard as well. He inability to recruit experienced litigators has left out county with a dearth of experienced and gifted attorneys – meaning we are not being well represented in court. This is an unacceptable leadership void that must be attributed where blame belongs – at the desk of Ruth Stringer.

Furthermore, Ms. Ruth Stringer’s past deliberate disclosure of Closed Session discussion and materials is an affront to the legal process and places the County in a precarious legal position. Her refusal to handle sensitive material is a dangerous path that cannot be allowed to continue.

These reasons are just the tip of the iceberg why Ruth Stringer has got to go.

In the final quarter of the previous year, county supervisors took the appropriate and bold step in removing Mark Uffer as CAO. With every passing day, evidence surfaces proving supervisors were wise in doing so.

Now county leadership is faced with a similar opportunity to reform county counsel. They must seize this moment and ring in the New Year with competency, effectiveness and direction in that office.