Watertown resident questions rising line items and suggests digital-submission pilot

During open public comment Zach Thompson of Watertown told commissioners he has been reviewing county budget trends and raised questions about multiple line items that have grown faster than general inflation. He cited court-appointed attorney costs as an example of a line item that has increased significantly over the past six years and said citizens deserve clarification about the drivers of those costs.

Thompson also questioned ongoing government building costs related to the jail and asked for more information. He said he submitted an updated proposal this morning that outlines a concept called "concurrent majority" and suggested exploring a digital submission pilot for state forms, including use of blockchain for enhanced security in electronic submissions. "I also have a concept I've been working on called concurrent majority," he said, and asked commissioners to follow up by email for a fuller package.

The chair reminded Thompson that the public-comment period is not a time for extended discussion; Thompson said he would make materials available and welcomed follow-up contact.