President's Message-
Convention Issue 2004
Bruce Hamrick Assumes
Role as ACCA President
Below
is the text of the speech delivered by ACCA President Bruce Hamcirk, elected during
the ACCA's 76th Annual Convention in August."President
Mary Buckelew; Vice Presidents Stanley Batemon and Rhondel Rhone; Immediate Past
President Johnny Flowers; Past Presidents Mark Culver, Roger Hayes, Sam Jones,
Hardy McCollum, Larry Bennich and Pappy Dunn; members of the Board of Directors,
Fellow County Officials, Friends, Ladies and Gentleman.
"This
podium is a long way from the hills of Walker County. You will have to be patient
with me tonight, 'cause this country boy is a bit nervous.
"But
it is certainly an honor for me to stand here before you and to receive the honor
you bestowed on my family and me this afternoon. This is an office that I will
take very seriously and today's election will always be one of the highlights
of my time in public service.
"I
remember my first trip to an Association event - most of you can probably remember
yours too. I had no plans to seek the office of President. I only wanted to see
what this organization was about and to find some help in carrying out the duties
of my new office. I showed up, sat in the back of the room and listened.
"I
guess that's how most of you came to the Association and how most of us came to
public office. One day each of us decided to run for election. We campaigned hard.
We put road signs up all over the place. We bought ads in the newspaper and we
knocked on doors.
"After
all that hard work, we stood around the courthouse on election night with a basket
full of butterflies in our stomach. And then once the votes were counted, we shook
our heads and started trying to figure out just what kind of crazy job we had
gotten ourselves into. I think you all can relate to that.
"Well,
that's also a pretty good description of how I feel tonight. I've served on the
Board of Directors for several years and I've worked alongside several of our
Past Presidents and other county officials. But I'm not exactly sure that I know
what to do a President of what I've gotten myself into by accepting this job.
"I do know,
however, that this Association is extremely important to me and to my county.
The Association has been a very important part of my life from almost the first
moment that I took that oath of office.
"The
people in this Association have stood beside me and helped hold me up. They have
stood behind me and watched my back. And they have walked ahead of me to clear
a safe way for me to go.
"Tonight,
I want you to know that in the next 12 months, I promise that I will stand beside
you, I will watch your back and I will go ahead of you to clear the way. I'll
do whatever it takes to help this Association succeed. That's my promise. And
if this old boy from the Walker County hills is anything, he is a man of his word.
"During
the next 12 months I will rely on the Walker County part of my "County Family"
to make sure things are handled back home, so that I can be the active leader
that this Association deserves. I want each of you to know that I appreciate the
sacrifices you will make this year to allow me to serve as President.
"One
of the honors of serving this Association is the chance to see, first hand, the
impact that the ACCA has on our state. The work of this Association is extremely
important to every citizen who calls Alabama "home".
"The
leaders of our state now look to us for advice, leadership and support. For that
to continue, we must reach out our hands for more participation from inside our
membership. We have a strong core of leaders, but this year we must focus our
efforts on getting more people involved - for reasons that I will discuss in a
few minutes.
"Our
Board of Directors is composed of 26 persons. And there are another 20 on our
Legislative Committee. We have another 75 or so who serve on the Boards of the
affiliate associations. So that's a pretty good sized group. But the ACCA cannot
succeed if we only rely on those persons. We need everyone's involvement, advice,
insight and abilities.
"As
I look around this room, there is someone at almost every table who plays an important
part in our success. From serving on Board and Committees, to coming to Montgomery
to lobby; and from going to see legislators, to attending district meetings -
we can be very proud of the participation in our Association. But, tonight, as
we look toward the next 12 months, I want to ask you: Are you doing all you can?
Are you sacrificing to make your county better? Are you sacrificing to make this
Association better? Are you sacrificing to make this state better?
"I
hope so, because county government cannot be improved without sacrifice. Those
who led this Association before us sacrificed. And we have all benefited from
those sacrifices.
"For
example, you now benefit from a constitutional amendment that says the Legislature
cannot pass unfunded mandates down to the county level. County officials in other
states would love to have that kind of protection. But please know, this accomplishment
did not come without sacrifices.
"We
are in the last year of a five-year Bridge replacement program that represents
the largest investment in county roads in almost 50 years. This program was initiated
by this Association, but the passage of the program didnot come without sacrifices.
"Just this
past legislative session, we sent a resounding message that the state's financial
problems cannot - and will not - be solved by taking money away from county budgets
and county programs. But that message was not sent without sacrifices, was it
President Buckelew?
"Some
of the people who have made those sacrifices sit in this room tonight. Look around
you. You know who they are. You see their faces at every Association event. You
read about their stances on behalf of county government. And, yes, you hear about
folks criticizing them on the local level for spending so much time in Montgomery
or for taking a position that might cause the county to face the wrath of a local
legislator or interest group.
"But
many others who sacrificed for this Association have come and gone, long before
any of us arrived on the scene. Tillman Hill, Chris McNair, John Will Waters,
Chris Doss, Robert Crowder, Grady Perry, Ron Green. The list could go on and on.
To most of you, those names mean little or nothing. But to this Association, to
this state and to county government in general, these leaders represent the very
heart of what keeps this Association moving - commitment and sacrifice.
"Tonight
is a very proud and exciting night for me. But it is also a bit comber. For tonight
is the time that we must say goodbye to a number of elected officials who are
leaving public office and are therefore attending this convention for the last
time. If this is your last convention, please stand. I want to ask everyone to
join me in a round of applause for your hard work and your sacrifice.
"At
the start of this convention, we recognized Bill Joseph from Montgomery County
for his 40 years of service on the county commission. Bill, I want you to know
that this Association and the state of Alabama owe you a debt that we cannot repay.
It has been an honor to serve beside you.
"I
said a little earlier that you might have to be patient with me during this speech.
Well, here goes.
"Tonight
represents the final Association convention for two of our Past Presidents and
two of my best friends - Larry Bennich and Roger Hayes. I don't really know where
to start to say what needs to be said about these two outstanding leaders. Roger
could not be here tonight. But it is an honor for Larry to be here as I become
President. And his attendance here makes tonight even more special and memorable.
"Many of
you have no idea what Larry Bennich and Roger Hayes have done for you and for
your county. Many of the things that benefit you today - things that allow you
to provide services to the people in your county - were paid for, in part, by
the sacrifices of these two leaders. Their unselfish dedication to this Association
has made us all proud. It has been my honor, and yours, to serve with them. It
has been my honor, and yours, to benefit from their wisdom, insight and advice.
It has been my honor to learn from them and I hope I can carry forward in the
tradition they have established.
"One
last time, Larry and Roger, I want to thank you for what you have done for me,
for my county and for this state.
"No,
I want to say what Larry, Roger, Bill Joseph and every other former leader of
our Association would say to you tonight if he or she were up here at this podium.
And that is - thank you for those kind remarks, I really do appreciate your friendship.
Now, take up the banner and get to work!
"Tonight
- this very minute - it is time for someone else to step up. When people like
Tillman Hill and John Will Waters left this Association, people like Larry Bennich
and Roger Hayes stepped up. Now, it is time for others to follow their example.
"For you
see, this Association must continue its work. After these two leaders are gone,
after President Buckelew has retired to play with her grand children and after
the voters of Walker County have tired of me, this Association will still be here.
Its success or failure will not depend on what was done last year or 10 years
ago or even yesterday, but on what is done tomorrow and during the next 12 months.
"We love
those leaders who are leaving us. But we must move on, someone else must take
their place. Someone else must be willing to drive to Montgomery in the wee hours
of the morning. Someone else must be willing to call Legislators, to stand in
the halls in Montgomery, and then to work to ensure that future members of the
Legislature are willing to support counties.
"As
I said, there are sacrifices to be made. We need people who are willing to invest
their time, their political influence, their abilities and their skills for the
betterment of the entire state - not just for their own political betterment or
for the betterment of their county. It is not a sacrifice to do something to help
yourself. Sacrifice only comes in helping others.
"You
can rest assured, the state's financial problems have not yet been solved. Last
year President Buckelew warned us that the state would attempt to balance its
budgets with county revenue. And attempts were made. Well, tonight, as I stand
here, you can be sure that other attempts will be made next year. And those efforts
can only be turned away with hard work and sacrifice. We need to be ready.
"Because
of your hard work and sacrifice, the Alabama Senate passed a bill that would allow
for local votes on granting counties health and safety powers. These powers -
one element in county home rule - would only be exercised after gaining voter
approval. This bill passed the Senate, but died awaiting floor action on the last
night of the session
"But
if a special session is called this Fall, we expect this bill to be given very
serious consideration. If we are right, we have before us an almost historic challenge.
We have talked about shifting power to the local level for a very, very long time.
But it has always been talk.
"But
now, we have an opportunity to pass legislation that would truly allow voters
on the local level to have direct control of the activities on the local level.
Our Association staff and leadership worked hard last year to bring together a
coalition of groups that could pass this legislation. It is now, however, up to
us to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve this goal, this year.
"Such
an achievement would be the culmination of work for years. It would be the result
of sacrifices made by many elected officials who are no longer in office and by
those who are sitting in this room tonight.
"And,
now that the historic bridge construction program is nearing its conclusion, it
is time to begin work on a new plan to restore county roads to safe condition.
We cannot wait on others to put forth a plan. We cannot look for leadership on
this issue from outside of our organization. If a new program is to be developed,
it must come from this Association.
"On
these issues, and many others, you will be asked to sacrifice - to come to Montgomery
when it is not convenient; to make a call that you do not want to make; or to
carry out a duty that you think you cannot accomplish. But if we are to succeed,
you must accept that challenge, you must do your part.
"There
is no one else to do it. We cannot look to other leaders. Their time has passed.
It is your time. It is my time. It is our time, together.
“Thank
you." | 
