My Personal Vision for the role of Commissioner

The Board of Commissioners exists to:

Foster a secure environment in which economic and recreational opportunities are available to the residents and visitors of Gilmer County

This Mission is generally accomplished by:

• Demonstrating responsible financial management to provide necessary services while minimizing the tax burden on our citizens
• Encouraging additional business investment from new and existing companies to build a strong local economy that provides jobs for our residents
• Developing and nurturing open communication and cooperation between all segments of our community, both public and private
• Supporting a well-staffed, trained, and equipped public safety department and judicial system
• Maintaining a county road system to provide safe, reliable transportation
• Providing recreation and leisure opportunities for all demographic groups of our community
• Promoting the community to the tourist market
• Overseeing land use to ensure a balance in which property values are maintained while the county remains productive

It is my belief that some of these goals and strategies are best accomplished through a collaborative effort with other community stakeholders from the private and public sectors. Others are accomplished simply by understanding the mission and needs of the various County Departments and then seeing that they have the leadership and financial resources to carry out that mission. There should be no need to micro-manage departments once the mission is clear and the resources have been provided. Simply let people do their jobs and hold them accountable for the results.