Brown County is a 2.0 .   As a former defense and military analyst, assessing the capabilities of groups, organizations, countries (e.g., systems) was one of the tools of the trade.

One of the simpler models for assessing capability used a scale of 1 (low) to 5 (high capability). The norm is a 2.0 which can be defined as “good enough – it works for us.”

Description — 20200604 Community and County Capability Maturity Model CMM

In the case of Brown County, we have a “closed” political system as a result of a one-party monopoly on political power which can be reinforced in every election.

The plus side for some in this closed system is that major decisions, despite any opposition, can be made relatively quickly with no repercussions at the ballot box. The downside is that this is less effective than an “open” system that can assimilate feedback and works to identify the best solutions for the county.

The risk of a closed system is not only suboptimal decisions and abuse of power which is a given, but you can build up a simmering opposition to the status quo that can eventually lead to conflict. This conflict can be expressed on social media, at public meetings, and through protests and boycotts.  In a military context as we’ve seen throughout the world, a closed system provides the motivation for insurgencies, revolutions, and war.

In anticipating the local impacts that the Covid-19 crisis is having and may have on the county, to include potentially unprecedented amounts of borrowing, potential tax increases and subsidies for favored projects, groups and industries, we do have choices.

Brown County Leader Network – a collaborative and transparent leadership approach.