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President's Message
- Convention Issue 2005
Batemon urges members to seize "opportunities"
Below is the text of the speech delivered by ACCA President Stanley Batemon, elected during the ACCA’s 77th Annual Convention in August.
"President Bruce Hamrick; Vice Presidents Rhondel Rhone and Jerold Dean; Immediate Past President Mary Buckelew; Past Presidents Johnny Flowers, Mark Culver, Sam Jones, Hardy McCollum and Pappy Dunn; Members of the Board of Directors, Fellow County Officials, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen.
"This afternoon's vote and tonight's banquet represent a great honor for me and my family, for my "county" family in St. Clair and for the many people who have supported and believed in that crazy old game warden, Stan Batemon. This Association is important to me, but it is more important to the people of my county who have benefited greatly from the things that we have accomplished together and the things that we will accomplish in the future.
"For that reason, this election has even more meaning. Almost from the first day I took office as a county commissioner, I became active in the Association and its educational program, which was called the ‘County Commissioners College’ at that time. That participation has required some sacrifice and it has not always been convenient, but is HAS always been worth the effort. The people of St. Clair County have always benefited because I took advantage of the opportunity that was presented to me.
"Right now I face an opportunity as your President. I have an opportunity to lead us toward something truly important or to ignore the opportunity and simply sit around for 12 months, leaving the work to next year's President, Rhondel Rhone. And tonight you face an opportunity too. You also have a choice to either stand around for a year, or to be a part of something that can change county government in Alabama forever. The choice is not your and mine individually, but the choice is OURS together. And tonight I hope we will make the choice to seize the opportunity that is before us and to work together to accomplish something that will benefit the people that we serve.
"Before I go any further, I want to recognize the people from St. Clair County who are here tonight. I first want to begin with my wife, who has been patient with me for a very long time. She was patient when I spent my nights looking for folks who were breaking the game laws of Alabama and now she is patient as I try to make a positive contribution to my community and the state. Thank you Lynn.
"I know that about a month ago or so, a few of you stood on the shore of Pearl Harbor and witnessed first hand that part of our American History. One cannot leave that venue without feeling both a sense of loss and a great sense of patriotism and commitment to public service.
"Back in 1941, just two days after that attack, a 22 year-old Iowa farm boy felt that same sense of responsibility and seized an opportunity by enlisting in the U.S. Navy. He spent most of the next 44 months on and around a naval battleship - the U.S.S. Alabama - the same ship which rests tonight not too far from here in Mobile Bay.
"While on that ship, that young man served his country with honor and valor, earning 8 battle stars and many other commendations. After his tour ended - at the age of 25 - he returned to his prior vocation, throwing fast balls for the Cleveland Indians.
"At the peak of his career - after becoming the only pitcher to win more than 100 major league games before his 23rd Birthday - that man, Bob Feller, walked away from his personal goals and took advantage of the opportunity to do something special. His willingness to respond, without regard to the personal price he would pay, is a remarkable testimony to commitment.
"Why do I mention him tonight at the occasion? Well, his thoughts on the opportunities he faced, and the opportunities he gave up in order to serve on the U.S.S. Alabama, should serve as inspiration for you and me tonight as we chart a course for the coming year.
"'Every day is a new opportunity,' he said. 'You can build on yesterday's success or put it failures behind and start over. That's the way life is, with a new game everyday.'
"Tonight, as we sit here armed with a huge Legislative accomplishment from this past session, we face a new opportunity - a new game - with a real chance to build on our success and to do something great. Now, we're not being asked to give up our promising baseball career, but our efforts to meet this challenge will take dedication, political savvy and hard work.
"We have enjoyed remarkable success in the Legislative arena over the years. That success can be attributed to a number of factors, but the most important is that our membership - county commissioners, administrators, engineers, attorneys, revenue officers, 9-1-1 directors, personnel managers, and others - have realized the importance of becoming active in this effort. As we look toward a new year, with new opportunities, it is important that we renew our commitment to this portion of the Association's work. For if we begin to slip in this area, there is no question that we will also begin to slip in other areas as well.
"A president cannot do this alone. The Board of Directors cannot. We need everyone here to again be committed to continuing the remarkable success we have enjoyed.
"Last year on this night, our friend Bruce Hamrick gave us a little look into his year as President and turned out to be a prophet in the process. It has been an honor to serve this year with him, to learn from him and be his friend.
"Let me remind you what Bruce 'The Prophet' Hamrick said just one year ago concerning the passage of our long-awaited Self Governance Legislation.
"'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 this year, 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.'
"Wow, what insight. Bruce, you really are a prophet. We did
have a historic challenge before us last year - a challenge to finally pass our Home Rule bill, even if we had to rename it 'Self Governance'.
"Two or three different times I thought our bill was dead in the water, and each time it was revived. I especially remember that day we sat in a crowded committee room and listened to our opponents criticize everything that county government stands for. It was hard to bite our tongues, but we did. When I left that meeting, I was convinced that we'd probably never get this legislation passed.
"But because of constant work on the part of our staff and our membership, that remarkable challenge Bruce spoke of and that we witnessed firsthand, became a great opportunity for our Association and for all of us on the local level. As you know, the bill did move its way through the legislative process, passing just before the session ended last May.
"That final passage vote on the floor of the Senate just before midnight in May was not the conclusion of our ‘opportunity’. No, it was just the beginning of the ‘opportunities’ we now face together.
"Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, a man who faced many 'opportunities' during his lifetime that we cannot comprehend also realized the importance of being ready when ones change came around. He said, 'I will prepare, and someday my chance will come.'
"There is no question that we have prepared for this day for a very long time. And now our day is finally here. The real question now is, what will we choose together to do with this opportunity?
"Right now, this important law on Self Governance is nothing more than words on paper. The words are important, but it is up to us to turn those words into a working, breathing program that can benefit the people who look to us for leadership and direction.
"As you all know, the important powers granted to counties in this act can only be exercised after a local referendum. The earliest that these local votes can take place is at the political party primary election in June of 2006. As President Lincoln said, it is now time for us to prepare, because our chance is just around the corner.
"I believe it is our responsibility to those who worked so hard on this issue for so long, like Bruce and the many President's before him, to carry this opportunity forward. We have really accomplished nothing until we have generated public support for this issue back home and have passed the local referendum.
"Approval from the local voters will then allow us to put in place local programs that will make our counties safer, cleaner, and more progressive.
"This can only happen if you, as the elected leaders in your county, are willing to speak out in favor of this initiative. If will only happen if you are willing to help organize people in your county. And it will only happen if this Association takes an active and positive role in preparing the materials you need to accomplish your goal.
"Tonight, as your President, I strongly encourage you to return home, pull out this act and begin the process of determining whether or not the time is right for a vote in your community. It is so inefficient for the local citizens to be forced to rely on action from Montgomery before being able to address such essential problems as litter, pollution, junkyards, unsanitary sewage and other related issues. This authority should rest with the local government that is closest to the people and it is up to you to speak out for the approval of this issue in your community.
"The local referendum process is the most important opportunity that lies before us in the coming 12 months and it is the activity that will consume much of my efforts and energy. While focusing on the local referendums, we must not lose sight of our other duties and responsibilities.
"We must continue to work on other legislative goals, like the passage of legislation to ensure the effective response to local emergencies, the authorization to make purchases from the national program designed to save our taxpayers millions of dollars, and the legislation to change the way we publish the voters list before each election.
"We must continue to protect county revenue from the annual attacks that come both in the legislative arena and from administrative actions by state and federal agencies.
"We must continue to be an active voice on the national level by taking part in the committees and programs of the National Association of Counties, including the important effort to address the growing problems associated with the abuse of chemical meth in our communities.
"We must redouble our efforts to cooperate with
our colleagues in the courthouse - probate judges, sheriffs, tax officials, and others - as we search for more efficient and effective ways to deliver services to our citizens.
"We must respond in a positive way to the new Open Meetings Law in Alabama. We must follow our positive and productive meetings on this issue with a commitment to involve and inform the public as we work to do its business.
"We must continue to work on a NEW road and bridge initiative to pick up after the very successful bridge replacement program that will end during the coming months. This is very important and I pledge to you that we will move forward in the coming months.
"We must continue all of these efforts, but - first and foremost - we must seize the opportunity that we have worked so long to obtain. We must not squander the opportunity to finally shift some decision making authority to the local level. That responsibility rest on our shoulders.
"Years ago, county officials began work on this issue with just the faintest of hope that someday this opportunity would be before us. It began, with a Blue Ribbon Committee on County Government, established by President John Will Waters back in 1988. That committee began - more than 15 years ago now - to focus attention on the need to shift the decision making efforts back to the local courthouse. Back in 1988, newspapers heralded the work of that group, claiming that the passage of ‘Home Rule’ was near. Little did they know…
"I only wish that the presidents, board members, legislative committee members, commissioners, and staff members who have come and gone since then could have been with me in the Senate gallery back in May. I wish they could have shared the pride that I felt when that final vote was cast and that legislation was finally passed.
"There were 16 members on the Blue Ribbon Committee way back in 1988. Most are gone. Most of you will recognize very few of the names - John Waters, Clarence Watters, 'Plug' White, Tillman Hill, Hal Smith, and Jim Mason, just to name a few of the members. Most of you didn't have the privilege of serving with those gentlemen.
"Best I can tell, there are only 4 of the 16 original 'Blue Ribbon' members left in county government today - our most senior Past President Pappy Dunn of Calhoun County; Mike Gillespie, Chairman of the Madison County Commission and still a member of the ACCA Board; Jerold Dean of Conecuh County and Calhoun County Administrator Ken Joiner. The presence of these four leaders and the other members who are no longer in our midst, is felt in every word of the new law. Please join me in thanking them tonight.
"Now, it falls to use to complete the work - or actually to take the next steps in the process. An opportunity now rests on our shoulders. We must take advantage of it. So that those who come after us will remember our contribution in 2005 and 2006 in the same way that we now remember the committee that laid the ground work for us.
"Again, accomplishing that goal will not come without work, sacrifice, and dedication to a common good. But I know we can count on each other. Just as we have leaned on each other year after year.
"Helen Keller, perhaps the most inspiring Alabamian to ever live, spoke often about opportunities and the need to seize the chances that come your way. I'll leave you tonight to ponder her insight about seizing the opportunity we, as an Association, have before us in the coming days.
"'The million little things that drop into your hands. The small opportunities each day brings. He leaves us free to use or abuse. And goes unchanging along His way.'
"This opportunity has been placed in our hands. I trust that you will choose to help us USE - rather than ABUSE - the great opportunity that lies before us."
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