This week ushers in a new era in local government.
Two new County Commissioners took office Monday evening and the Board of Education welcomed two new members as well. We have a new sheriff at the helm for the first time in 20 years, and the Town of Franklin swore in a new police chief on Monday.
While county elections happen every four years giving voters the opportunity to voice their desire for change, this year brought about an end to leadership that had been in place for two decades. Sheriff Robert Holland had held the top law enforcement post since 2002. Ronnie Beale had served on the Board of Commissioners for 16 years and Jim Tate for 11 years. The late Tommy Cabe had served on the Board of Education for 20 years; he was running for re-election but passed away in September prior to the election.
If you’ve lived here for a long time, think about how much Macon County has changed in 20 years. If you’re a newcomer, is the county the same place you discovered when you moved here?
Change is inevitable. No place stays the same, nor should it. As much as some might yearn for the “good old days,” we should all grow and improve, and we want our communities to do the same. What we must seek to preserve are the values and characteristics that make us proud to be Maconians and to call this our home.
Our new leaders have some challenging decisions ahead of them. While some have complained about the three-vote block on the Board of Commissioners, that should no longer be an issue since it is a full-Republican board. That doesn’t mean that there will not be some lively exchanges. The exchange of opposing viewpoints can be a good thing. It opens people up to new ideas and new ways of thinking.
Macon County, along with Western North Carolina, has some serious issues ahead including the lack of work-force housing, expanding the labor force, finding qualified employees and maintaining current infrastructure to name a few. Meeting these challenges will require cooperative efforts from everyone – public and private entities, Republicans and Democrats.
At a reception last week for Beale and Tate, Commissioner Gary Shields said they didn’t talk politics. “We are going to be Maconians first,” he said. “We work for the people of Macon County.”