Oxford County Commissioner David Duguay is a grocery store manager by trade, and a pragmatist at heart. So when he decided to run for commissioner, the need to align himself with a political party – Democrat, Republican or other – just struck him as odd.

For the record, Duguay is a registered Republican. But he feels he doesn’t have to be, which is why he’s pushing legislation to make county commissioners nonpartisan. His bill, LD 129, sponsored by Rep. Randy Hotham, R-Dixfield, is before the Legislature’s State and Local Government Committee.

“It has been my observation, as a manager for more than 25 years, that the most successful leaders are those who took the initiative to apply – or run – for a leadership position, rather than those who were ‘pushed’ into applying, or running,” he testified this week. “I believe the party system ‘recruiting and pushing’ people to campaign for positions of leadership is hurting county government more than it is helping.”

Hotham is also sponsoring two other county government reform bills: one each asking for the appointment, instead of election, of deed registrars and sheriffs. A public hearing on LD 129 was held Wednesday; a work session on the bill is scheduled for this Wednesday, Feb. 7.

Maine’s county government needs changing. Either through a spectacular implosion (Rep. Seth Berry of Bowdoinham has introduced legislation calling for the abolition of county government within five years) or through incremental reforms, such as those proposed by Duguay and Hotham.

Sometimes, when our incredulity at the mismanagement of county business reaches its apex, Berry’s proposal seems the correct course. Blow it up, we’d say loudly, and sweep up the pieces for local and state government.

While a teardown is tantalizing, the step-by-step approach will likely yield better results, and we urge the State and Local Government Committee to recommend the Legislature enact LD 129. “This is where it has to start,” Duguay said after the hearing. He is absolutely right.

The push for nonpartisan commissioners makes sense. Cities and towns run smoothly with nonpartisan selectmen and councilors; county government shouldn’t be different. And the introduction of partisan politics into any debate can stifle progressive action; here, again, counties are no different.

LD 129 faces some opposition. The Maine Association of Counties, for example, which represents the interests of the state’s 16 county governments, is against LD 129, according to Duguay. But his ideals have struck a chord with fellow commissioners around the state, who echo his beliefs.

“Eliminating party affiliation distances it further from state government and positions it for what it is – local government,” said Anne Beebe-Center, a two-term Democratic commissioner in Knox County, and a MACo board member. “By removing the party affiliation, county commissioners could be elected as economic and community leaders – not partisan government officials.”

How about that? Bipartisan support for being nonpartisan. County government is changing already.