Voters, officeholders need two ‘07 qualities

E ACH YEAR presents new challenges in business and governing entities. 2007 will bring more

than the normal change and

accompanying challenges in Jasper County government.

There will be a dearth of experience on commissioners court with the retirement of the county judge and two commissioners, a majority of the court. Gone will be a 12-year veteran county judge, Joe Folk, and Precinct 4 Commissioner Mack Rose (20 years) and Precinct 2 Commissioner Rod Barger (8 years as commissioner and 12 years as justice of the peace).

Remaining Precinct 1 commissioner Charles Shofner, Jr. is in the middle of his second term as is Precinct 3 commissioner Willie Stark. Jan. 1 County Judge-elect Mark Allen and Precinct 2 Commissioner Roy Parker and Precinct 4 Commissioner Vance Moss will join them on the court.

Other new faces in the courthouse will be Criminal District Attorney Steve Hollis and County Treasurer Renee' Kelley.

Some major and ongoing problems hang over the commissioners court from Day One. A shrinking tax base will continue to present a budgeting challenge for the court. A timber industry, currently in a downward cycle, is further hampered by the vast destruction of trees by Hurricane Rita last year. The county's largest industry, the MeadWestvaco paperboard mill, continues to be affected by market conditions and also offers legal challenges each year to the property valuation. There are other problems left by Rita's destruction - debris causing ongoing drainage problems countywide among others - plus some lingering damage from last fall's flooding.

Commissioners face funding problems for operation of the county sheriff's department in lieu of growing demands from some areas for increased law enforcement presence and the budgetary shortfalls with regard to operation of the new county jail.

A new county treasurer, Kelley, is drawn into this malaise as she faces challenges in the investment and management of county funds.

A whole different set of problems confronts new DA Hollis - a perceived lack of prosecution of cases over a four-year period being the most prominent.

While that merely scratches the surface of the myriad of challenges facing a largely inexperienced commissioners court as well as other offices, it raises the specter of high public expectations.

Newly elected officials deserve a learning curve allowance from the public.

However, not all is gloomy. The county is growing, mostly with retirees it appears, but there is some promise of job growth. Voters at every level need to encourage not only county government, but the city level as well, to aggressively pursue business and industrial growth to spread the tax burden.

These conditions in Jasper County call for both patience and perseverance by elected officials and residents