David Lynd might be a great engineer, but it is his role as a public servant where he seems to need some work.

The county engineer is again under fire from taxpayers — an almost constant occurrence — over poor road conditions and lack of communication about the problems.

And it is this last part that is most perplexing, coming from a man who, by all accounts, is very intelligent and capable.

Lynd may be on target in most other areas but seems to miss the mark widely when it comes to public relations.

Admittedly, Lynd has a basically thankless job and is asked to do a lot with a little. It would be impossible for him to keep everyone happy.

Yet, it would still be worthwhile to make the effort to communicate with citizens and keep them up to date.

This is the area where Lynd falls short.

The recurring complaint from taxpayers is that Lynd won’t return calls or provide clear answers on repair schedules. Just last year his refusal to attend commission meetings prompted the group to pull his funding temporarily. Media calls are often not returned or a gatekeeper won’t even transfer calls.

Lynd — and those who work in his office — have to understand that doing their jobs each day includes more than just fixing roads.

The sooner everyone gets on the proverbial bus the sooner the ride will be a whole lot less bumpy.