FROM THE COVER
Constant Change “ You ’ ve got to be willing to change ,” said Commissioner Lindsey Allison from fast-growing Shelby County . “ At least in our county , you ’ ve got to understand that nothing is constant . Every day you get new challenges , and you ’ ve got to be open to that .”
Allison has been a commissioner for 25 years , and fewer than a dozen commissioners in office in Alabama today have served longer . She is the senior-most female county commissioner in the state , but for all that seniority it sounds as though she works her district as hard as if she were just getting established . “ I ’ m continually trying to keep my ear to the ground ,” she said . “ Networking . Relationships , relationships , relationships .”
Dealing with Unhappy Citizens
Counties are at “ ground zero ” in this national epidemic of dissatisfaction with government , Allison said , so the pressure is on . “ You ’ ve got to show that government works ,” she said .
“ Trust me , we get yelled at . I bet y ’ all do too ,” Allison said , triggering sympathetic laughter from the audience .
“ What I really have tried to do is be very positive with people and say , ‘ I know you have a problem . I know we need to address this problem . We may not have the answer to your problem , but I ’ ll get you to the person who can ’ – and not leave them standing there in anger .”
30 | COUNTY COMMISSION
“ Trust me , we get yelled at . I bet y ’ all do too ”
Saying “ no ” to a constituent does not have to end on
“ Most of the time , people just want to be heard ” a sour note , advised Choctaw County Commissioner Tony Cherry . “ You just have to be truthful with people and hear their concerns , and the main thing is to follow up with people . I believe in going back and telling them what the results are . If it ’ s not favorable , then that ’ s just what it is . Just be upfront and honest ,” he said .
If that doesn ’ t get the job done , sometimes you have to be even more direct . “ I get a lot of questions like ‘ well , we used to do this ’ or ‘ we used to do that .’ I ’ m sorry ; I ’ m not ,” said Cherry , ACCA ’ s president-elect . “ My philosophy is I ’ m not going to jail for anybody .”
Chairman Mark Culver , who has served the people of Houston County for more than
30 years , said there ’ s no way
The importance of communication was a persistent theme in the second panel ’ s discussion . From left : NPR National Correspondent Debbie Elliott ; Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver ; George Grabryan , director of EMA and 9-1-1 in Lauderdale County ; and Choctaw County Commissioner Tony Cherry . commissioners can make everybody happy . He knows . He tried .
So many commissioners entered public service to make a difference their communities , and they tend to be very action-oriented . From that viewpoint , it can be easy to overlook that listening is , in fact , an action step .
“ Most of the time , people just want to be heard ,” Culver said . “ They want to vent , tell you their story .”
More Common Ground than Expected
Citizens often think their situation is unique , that no one has ever had a particular problem before , Culver said , and county leaders can fall into the same trap .
“ We have problems that are not unique to Washington County ,” said Chairman Allen Bailey . “ Everybody has basically the same problems .”
Leverage Every Resource
Counties are known for finding a way forward when others see only obstacles . “ You have to leverage every resource you possibly can ,” said Bailey , a 23-year commission veteran . “ With partnerships , we ’ ve done things that would have never happened if we had relied only on our local county resources .”
As an example , he pointed to a railroad overpass that was constructed as a joint effort by the county , the railroad and a local industry . “ There was a community of people behind this crossing , and when trains were switching they couldn ’ t