No Liberals Need Apply

The next human services director for Mesa County may be requested to list his or her religious and political beliefs in their application. Of course that’s illegal, but the Mesa County Commissioners, which includes Janet Rowland (former Bob Beauprez’s running mate and anti-sheep marriage advocate,) have decided they want the next human service director to share their conservative values.From a Grand Junction Daily Sentinel article:

…The commissioners said they have to find someone who shares their view of an agency that seems to embody many of the things the commissioners like least about government.

“There’s a belief that it’s in direct opposition to conservative values, but many Human Service programs actually have traits that conservatives value,” Commissioner Janet Rowland said.

Protection programs for children, at-risk adults, the elderly, child support, treatment for methamphetamine addiction and several other programs all represent conservative values, said Rowland, a former employee of the agency.

Who knew that human service programs could be politically partitioned and religiously classified?

As mentioned in a previous Colorado Confidential story, the last Mesa County human services director described the circumstances of his termination:

During my tenure at DHS, I found myself in almost constant conflict with County Commissioners Craig Meis and Janet Rowland.

The source of the conflict, in my opinion, was their desire to inappropriately use the department to further their own personal or political goals. Often, the “directives” that I received, again in my opinion, seemed designed to gain photo ops, build a political resume or settle personal scores, whims or ideology. I could not ethically or professional support those types of directives.

The Mesa County Commissioners will no doubt get what they want — a person who follows their conservative views, but will Mesa County residents get a human services director who can manage the department?