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
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THUMBS UP: To Dr. John Gaston, retiring dean of Valdosta State University’s College of the Arts. For the past 10-plus years, Gaston has worked to build a more interconnected program with various artistic and communications departments working together. Given that you are likely to see one College of the Arts department collaborating with another during events is proof of Gaston’s success.
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On the go this weekend
Take a breath.
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Sharing the roads with motorcycles
With the recent pleasant temperatures and sunny skies, the number of motorcycles on area roads has increased.
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Thank your local law enforcement today
Today, May 15, was designated Peace Officers Memorial Day back in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy was in office.
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Visit musical roots this weekend
Beginning Saturday, May 18, Nashville, Ga., will be hosting a special Smithsonian exhibit, “New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music.” The exhibit will continue through the end of June and Nashville has done a tremendous job in promoting and planning for the exhibit.
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Happy Mother’s Day!
A few years ago, a television commercial asked, Who first believed in you? Many folks may have instinctively answered by simply saying, Mom.
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THUMBS UP: To mail workers, volunteers and food bank staff for gathering food for the annual Stamp Out Hunger postal food drive today. A plastic bag designated for canned goods and other non-perishable food items should have arrived in your mailbox earlier this week. If you haven’t already, take a few moments to fill the bag with food and hang from your mailbox. If you didn’t receive the special Stamp Out Hunger bag, any plastic bag filled with food will do. This food drive helps feed thousands of South Georgians annually. Valdosta-Lowndes County often donates more food than nearly all other cities and counties in Georgia.
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Celebrating nurses
She is considered the founder of modern nursing so it seems only natural that National Nurses Week would include Florence Nightingale’s birthday.
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Helping the hungry: Mail it in!
Valdosta-Lowndes County continues revealing its generous spirit.
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New school scoring system
The first year of any new program is always a tough one.
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