Eighth District Putnam County Commissioner and Budget Committee Chair Ben Rodgers is stepping away from the Putnam County Commission after 12 years of service.
Rodgers said the county’s strong financial base ensures that the incoming group of elected officials is set up for success.
“The people that are not returning on the commission, the people that are not returning as officials have left the county in the best financial shape possible with 40-some percent in fund balance of expenditures in your general fund,” Rodgers said. “The comptroller’s office, the Government Financial Officers Association, they would all say, Putnam County you’ve done well.”
Rodgers said the county’s debt service stood at approximately $230 million when he first joined the commission in 2014. Rodgers said he worked alongside County Mayor Randy Porter to reduce that debt to nearly $100 million before recent growth necessitated new investments in infrastructure.
“So you’re at a $90 million bond issue in one year when we’ve taken debt service from 230 million to almost 100 million, well now you’re putting it back close to 200 million,” Rodgers said. “And so those, those growth, growth has pains and those pains are providing services and providing infrastructure.”
Rodgers said the county had to manage significant growth starting in 2019 and 2020, which led to the construction of the new Parkview school and a jail expansion project. Rodgers said these investments were necessary because the previous jail had reached capacity and the school system faced overcrowding.
“We’ve done really good about helping our officials and our department heads and they expect that and, you know, that’s okay but they can’t always, be happy with what we do and sometimes they’re not and we press forward and continue working,” Rodgers said. “I know you may need something, but what’s the difference in a need and a want? And you may want it and you may need it, but do you have to have it right now?”
Rodgers said the 2019 budget was the most challenging of his tenure because the commission spent over three hours debating a potential 20-cent tax increase. Rodgers said the commission eventually approved a 19-cent tax rate that year to fund School Resource Officers for every school and address other personnel needs.
“For me, it was a good finish to a career, a 12-year career serving on the budget committee and as chairman and as a commissioner,” Rodgers said. “It was one of those things where I could step back and say, You know what, I worked hard. I tried to be available. I tried to be transparent in answering questions.”
Rodgers said he decided not to seek another term because he wants to focus on his career and spend more time with his family.
