Yet another new set of secrets in Amherst

A majority of the Amherst County Board of Supervisors has done it again. It has fired a key county employee without even suggesting a specific reason to the public. It’s the latest example of closed-door government in the county that keeps the public in the dark.

The firing of County Attorney Vaden Hunt last week surprised even the two newest supervisors who were elected last fall, Claudia Tucker and Frank Campbell, who voted against the move. They took their seats Jan. 1.

Chairman Chris Adams offered this reason for calling for Hunt’s ouster when he said, “The board chose to terminate his employment due to what we felt was the best interest to all parties involved.” Joining Adams in the vote against Hunt were Supervisors Don Kidd and Ray Vandall.

Hunt has been county attorney since December 2007. Before that, the county’s legal affairs had been handled by Tom Shrader, a local attorney. Records show that the county saved a considerable amount of public money during Hunt’s tenure.

Had there been a problem with Hunt’s approach to his duties?

He said the day after the 3-2 vote to dismiss him that he was terminated without receiving a performance evaluation or any indication that the board was displeased with his job performance.

“I don’t believe it’s justified in any way,” he told the board. “You took a 3-2 vote to terminate me for, in my opinion, no reason.”

He added that it was painful for him “to see a board not act like gentlemen. I’ve never come close to anything in my career like this.”

Tucker opposed the termination and said she was caught off guard by the vote. “I think that with everything that we’ve got going on in the county right now, the idea that we are asking for the county attorney’s resignation is pretty irresponsible,” she said. “I was embarrassed by the board’s vote.”

Campbell said neither he nor Tucker had been given enough time to evaluate Hunt’s performance. “The reason I voted no is because on my time on the job he’s always done what he’s been asked to do,” Campbell said. “I don’t know why he was asked to resign.”

The supervisors have asked new County Administrator Lee Lintecum to begin advertising for a new county attorney. It is not clear who will perform the county’s legal services in the interim.

Tucker, meanwhile, said she was concerned that Hunt’s departure will lead to further financial losses in an already difficult budget year. “This was not a cost-saving move whatsoever,” she said, adding that Hunt, whose annual salary is $67,000, is one of the lowest paid county attorneys in the state. Replacing him, she added, will be a “costly move” for the county.

Hunt’s firing raises many of the same questions that came up late last spring when the same three supervisors terminated former County Administrator Rodney Taylor without ever offering a specific reason. Did Adams, Kidd and Vandall have a problem with the way Hunt conducted the county’s legal affairs? If so, wouldn’t it have been prudent to discuss that in public? What was there to hide?

And in discussing the matter in full public view, wouldn’t the people have been better informed at the seat of local government?

Of course they would. But this particular county Board of Supervisors seems to like working behind closed doors.

That does not make for good government. The people deserve better.