VALDOSTA —
Newly elected and re-elected officials were sworn into office Thursday, preparing to step into their roles at the first of the year.
For some, the roles are familiar and they are well versed in the duties and responsibilities that come with the position they’ve sought. For others, this is their first elected position and they have a steep learning curve ahead. The rules are different for elected officials — a large degree of personal privacy is sacrificed — and being accountable to taxpayers is not always easy as tough decisions must be made that often make citizens angry.
As outgoing county chairman Ashley Paulk stated in a recent interview, “In politics, there is no such thing as 100 percent of the vote. Even if you run unopposed, someone will always write in a name.”
In other words, you can’t make everyone happy. All elected officials can do is seek wise counsel and act accordingly, within the confines of the law. Be as transparent in making decisions as possible to educate the citizenry, be accessible to those who need your assistance, but remember that for every favor you do, you are doing someone else a disfavor.
For the incumbents, bless you for seeking office again and good luck as you continue your journey. For the newly elected, trust in those who are paid to do the government’s work every day and learn all you can. And for the public, give the new officials some time to become acclimated to their positions before you begin passing judgment.
What We Think
Taking the oath of office
- What We Think
-
-
Historic day celebrated
On January 1, 1863, Pres. Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, announcing that all persons held as slaves within the rebellious areas are and henceforth shall be free.
-
How this garden grew
A special-needs couple wanted a garden. A teacher not only wanted to teach gardening skills but she also wanted to instill a sense of community purpose within her young students.
-
Happy Father’s Day
He beamed with pride on our birth. He understood worry upon our birth. He is the giant by which we would judge all men. He protected us. He provided for us. He often sacrificed time with us to provide for us. He spent time with us.
-
Thumbs up
THUMBS UP: To Stevie Young of Valdosta. The owner of Artistic Taxidermy, Young won Best in the World, Turkey, in the 2013 World Taxidermy Championship. His eastern wild turkey display dominated the competition, earning him the distinction of best in the world. Another title for TitleTown!
-
Canning preserves food, way of life
When the going gets tough, the tough getting canning. Valdosta-Lowndes County residents have this opportunity.
-
PSST!: Round Two!
With tonight’s opening of “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” Peach State Summer Theatre presents its second show of the 2013 season.
-
A responsible fix for pets
The photo and story in Sunday’s paper about the dog whose owners had left him tied up with an electrical cord elicited a tremendous response from readers, outraged at the dog’s treatment.
-
A band-aid in a crisis?
The announcement Monday by the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities that a crisis stabilization center will be built in Lowndes County is good news for some, not so great for others.
-
Slowing down for summer
Twenty-some years ago, it seemed Valdosta and South Georgia slowed down for the summer. School was out. Controversies seemed to dwindle. People seemed to work shorter hours despite the longer days.
-
Storms: Of preparation and prayer
If you haven’t already, maybe this morning in church would be a good time to say a prayer of thanks that Tropical Storm Andrea blessed us with some much-needed rain while sparing us the overwhelming catastrophe that weather has wreaked upon the Midwest in recent weeks.
- More What We Think Headlines
-
Historic day celebrated
