Commissioners deserve thanks for their efforts
Provided they don’t get re-elected in the future, 11 commissioners served in their final Warren County Commission meeting Monday night. The Standard would like to thank all of these commissioners for their time and their willingness to step forward as leaders of this county.
Yes, commissioners are compensated for their efforts, earning around $3,500 a year. While that certainly amounts to more than chicken feed, there are a fair share of hassles in return.
Holding an elected office, and being placed squarely in the public eye, is far from easy. It’s a leadership position which some people don’t feel comfortable accepting because there are sure to be controversial issues which arise. And when you’re dealing with taxes – money coming from people’s pockets – it doesn’t take long before tempers can flare.
That’s why we’re grateful for the 24 commissioners who will continue to represent Warren County and the 11 who are leaving. Two of the commissioners in their last meeting Monday night were Edwin Grissom and Frank Rice, both of whom have 12 years experience in Warren County government.
Other commissioners leaving are M.A. Bouldin (eight years), Phil Hyatt (six years) and Janie Adams, Swanson Bennett, Brad Cantrell, Bobby Cox, Jeff Killian, Rickey Magness and Ramsey Womack (all four years).
We’re confident most of these commissioners will agree with the statement that guiding the county is no simple task. Most run for office with wide eyes and bright ideas about how they’re going to make a difference.
The harsh reality is it’s difficult to make an immediate impact as far as government is concerned. The bright ideas of one official might not sit so well with another. Where one commissioner might want to devote more money to education, another might be in favor of severe tax cuts. As a result, it’s hard to find a major issue where there isn’t at least some disagreement or some form of compromise.
Many times the path to finding a solution can be a bumpy road. But our elected officials have frequently guided the county in the right direction.
It took a substantial amount of debate, two architects, and a recommendation from the Jail Committee which was ignored, before county commissioners finally proceeded with plans for a jail addition. Construction on that jail addition is finally beginning to take shape.
It took some wrangling, and a few hurt feelings, but commissioners did pass a pay raise for county teachers two years back. And just Monday night, without much debate, commissioners approved a better benefits package for county employees.
These are just a few accomplishments in which outgoing commissioners can be proud. And we at the Standard are thankful for their input and contributions.
It’s one thing to sit back and criticize government for not running as smoothly as we might like. It’s another to take initiative, to put your name on the ballot and campaign for the privilege of representing Warren County.