HEIDI TOTH - Daily Herald | Posted: Monday, February 20, 2006 11:00 pm
The promise of renewed morale and more aggressiveness in dealing with crime brought about 30 people to the steps of the Historic County Courthouse for Deputy County Attorney Jeff Buhman's announcement of his intention to run for county attorney.
"Instead of crime fighters we've become paper-pushers," Buhman said, citing bureaucracy, a lack of focus, and poor communication with law enforcement and the public as the reasons for the department's turnover, lack of morale and diminishing reputation among constituents.
He made the announcement Monday -- done specifically on Presidents Day so his four children could be there -- standing on the third step with his wife in front of a pleased crowd of friends and family who shivered in the cold as he made his short speech, answered a couple of questions and encouraged them to help with his campaign.
He did not place blame on County Attorney Kay Bryson and insisted his campaign is not a slam on Bryson.
"I have a good relationship with Kay; this is not personal," he said. "But 16 years -- we need a change."
He has not spoken with Bryson about his decision, although Bryson is aware of it. Bryson, who has not made a public announcement, is planning to run for re-election.
"I will be a candidate, and I have been telling people I will be a candidate," he said.
Buhman, who has been a deputy county attorney for nine years, said he's running for the position to give voters a chance for change, a change he hopes will pull the office out of the decline he said he has witnessed for the past several years. He wants to put greater focus on drug crimes and child abuse by pumping more money and resources into investigating and prosecuting those crimes, as well as by prosecuting cases when necessary instead of making plea agreements.
The low morale he perceives around the office and the half-dozen attorneys who have left the department for other government positions or private practice is an indication of the need for change, he said.
"As a deputy prosecutor for nine of those years, I have watched with growing alarm as the reputation of the county attorney's office has become tarnished and the office disrespected," he said in his speech. "I have watched as this office has become bureaucratic rather than aggressive in the pursuit of justice."
Tim Taylor was one of those attorneys who left; he recently became the city attorney for Saratoga Springs. He said Buhman's integrity and vision could help the low morale and poor image he has observed.
"I've seen a lot of negative comments that unfortunately, I think does effect morale," he said, adding Buhman's desire to fix problems rather than assigning blame should be positive. "Maybe it's just time for a new vision."
For the next several months, though, the office environment could be affected by the race between Bryson and Buhman, a situation Bryson said he would rather have avoided, especially after Deputy County Attorney Curtis Larson ran for the position four years ago. The months leading up to the election weren't the most pleasant in the workplace, he said, but it remained business as usual.
"To have somebody in the office run makes it uncomfortable in the office," Bryson said.
Heidi Toth can be reached at 344-2543 or htoth@heraldextra.com.
This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A1.