Bob Waterston, the new chairman of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors, said he wants to run the county like a business. Oh, please. If you want to run the county like a business, open county offices at night and on weekends like businesses do to serve their customers. Put information on the county Web site so residents can conduct county businesss 24/7 from their home computers. Have a 24-hour customer service phone line available like businesses do.

Some county offices don't even observe traditonal government hours of 8-5, and close to the public even earlier in the day. These offices are run for the convenience of the county and not the public.

Chairman Waterston, if you really want to run the county like a business, open county offices on nights and weekends so taxpayers who pay the bills don't have to take time off from work to conduct routine county business.

But we know that's not going to happen, so stop saying things like you're going to run the county like a business. It is a foolish statement.

Maybe our readers can offer other suggestions about how to make county government more convenient for the public.