Dear Editor,
Speaking of the special election about to take place in the Putnam County 3rd District to elect a new 3rd District commissioner, I was impressed that four residents chose to step forward and qualify. My hat is off to all four for being willing to serve their community.
Unfortunately, only one can be elected, and that person needs to be ready to hit the ground running, maybe even sprinting, due to the many challenges and issues facing the Board of Commissioners immediately after the election.
In my humble opinion, only one candidate possesses the requisite qualifications to be the next commissioner from the 3rd District and that is Dr. Steve Hersey. I served as Dr. Hersey’s Vice Chair for four years when he was Chairman of the Board.
I know that experience is not the only thing to be considered when voting for someone to public office but it sure does come in handy when dealing with four other commissioners and the many county issues that a member of the Board must deal with, especially if the interests of the 3rd District are to be protected starting on day one.
If you recall, during August and September of this year, the Board of Commissioner’s agenda included a millage rate increase, the 2024 budget adoption, and the STR ordinance. During the public comment portion of these very important agenda items, Dr. Hersey gave his opinion on what should be done or not done concerning each of these agenda items.
I don’t recall any of the other candidates using this comment period to voice their opinions on these critical agenda items.
I would think you would want a commissioner who is not afraid to stand up in public, be a lone voice if necessary, and articulate a cogent opinion even if it might differ from the majority. This is exactly what Dr. Hersey did.
Given his experience and complete understanding of issues the county must deal with, I think you will find Dr. Steve Hersey to be the right person to be the next commissioner from the 3rd District.
Billy Webster Putnam County ( Mr. Webster is a past chairman of the Putnam County Board – Ed.)