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President's Message
- Volume 53, Number 3 - 2009
A fond farewell from President Joe Faulk.
During the last year, ACCA President Faulk attended 38 county commission meetings, traveled more than 8,000 miles across our great state...and made memories that will last a lifetime.
As this will be my last message to ACCA’s membership, let me say, “Thank you,” for the opportunity you have given me to serve you as your president.
Thank you also to my fellow county commissioners, staff and Association affiliates: Association of County Administrators of Alabama, Association of County Engineers of Alabama, Alabama Association of Emergency Managers, County Revenue Officers Association of Alabama, Alabama City/County Management Association and Alabama Association of 9-1-1 Districts for supporting your state office.
Without assistance from you as individuals and our affiliate groups, ACCA’s goals of promoting quality county government and improved services to Alabama’s residents could not have been met.
By way of a legislative update, let me say that this has been a remarkably successful year for our Association!
As you know, our energy was focused on passing five bills favorable to counties. While concerns over most of the bills passing had us anxiously biting our nails on the final day of the legislative session, all five bills passed, received Gov. Bob Riley’s signature, and they are now law. Thanks to everyone who showed up in Montgomery when we needed you!
Speaking of needs, capturing some part of the available stimulus funding is still in the
forefront of most of our thoughts as county commissioners and staff.
Toward that end, we had several meetings with the director of the Alabama Department of Transportation and his staff to seek the largest portion of stimulus dollars for counties as possible.
My final thoughts to you run more along the lines of a selfish nature.
By now, most of you know that upon taking office, I made a pledge to visit each one of the state’s 67 counties’ commission meetings in my role as ACCA president.
While I have not quite made every commission meeting yet, to date I have traveled 8,355 miles to attend 38 county commission meetings.
Each county commissioner and staff member I have met with during my visits has extended me gracious hospitality. If I have not made it to your county yet, I am still on the road and plan to be in your county soon (if not as president, then as past president).
For a long time, I have been intrigued by the way county commissions are set up a little differently. During my visits to the counties, I have learned how to be a better commissioner by watching county commissions across the state conduct their work sessions and business meetings.
The things I have learned and the memories I will keep are not only particular topics discussed at individual meetings, whether it was bales of hay in Barbour County, garbage pick-up in Geneva County, right-of-way work in Perry County, a summer jobs program in Choctaw County, or budget hearings in Montgomery and Autauga Counties, but what I will treasure most is the hospitality extended to me by my fellow county commissioners.
As I traveled, I was continuously asked by commissioners to share meals with them, tour their facilities and sites, and meet their constituents and family members. This experience has enriched my circle of friends, and I have developed relationships I will always cherish.
And finally, I would like to thank the Elmore County Commission for supporting me in this endeavor. Former County Commissioners Don Whorton, Mickey Shaw and T.J. Eason, as well as present Commissioners Mark Hragyil, Paul Taylor, David Bowen and most importantly, Chairman Earl Reeves have supported me in the past as an ACCA board member, ACCA board officer and currently as ACCA president.
Thanks again to all. It has been an honor.
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