County Commission | The Magazine July 2019 | Page 4

President’s PERSPECTIVE
I
Hon. Tony Cherry
President
Reflecting on a
Historic Year
We Must Build upon
Successes to Meet the
Challenges Ahead
4 | JULY 2019
’m not sure if you remember
my remarks at our convention
a year ago when you honored
me with the opportunity to be
president at what I believe will be
remembered as a historic year in
our Association’s history.
On that night, I posed a
challenge to each of you. Now, as my
time as president is quickly coming
to an end, challenges remain for all
of us and for this organization — if
you will, I ask that you join me in
a continuing commitment to make
our state an even better place.
It’s been an incredible honor and
privilege to serve as your president
this year, a year that’s quickly
coming to an end. I can honestly say
the year has flown by, as many past
presidents promised me it would.
Over the past 12 months, we’ve
celebrated 90 years of Alabama
counties working together, and
we’ve welcomed 64 newly elected
commission members into the
County Family. Our Association
office moved — one door down and
seven stories up from our longtime
home — into quarters that better
enable our membership and staff
to carry out the vital work of ONE
Voice. We also launched County
Risk Services Inc. to handle the
day-to-day administration of our
successful insurance programs.
And as if the year couldn’t get any
more exciting for our 67 Counties,
the Legislature passed and Gov. Kay
Ivey signed into law seven of our
policy priorities, including the Rebuild
Alabama Act — which is the first
new, recurring revenue for county
infrastructure in nearly 30 years.
Without a doubt, I’m proud of
what we’ve accomplished. But at
the same time, I’m humbled after
witnessing how 90 years of counties
working together, combined with
the extraordinary efforts of the past
12 months, have set into motion a
better future for decades to come in
all 67 counties.
Perhaps the most meaningful part
of being president of this organization
is the opportunity it provides to
represent each of you. To stand in
Montgomery and say I am here on
behalf of the men and women in
every county commission in Alabama
has been an honor beyond words.
Those days will remain some of the
most rewarding opportunities of my
public service career.
During this year, I have also
been struck by the influence and
credibility of this organization.
The ability of Alabama counties
to speak with ONE Voice in such
an influential way is the result of
work and commitment from those
who have stood in our shoes over
the past 90 years. Continuing —
and even expanding upon — that
record of achievement rests on our
individual commitment to work in
a unified manner.
Last August, we honored four
former Association presidents that
night who were leaving office, and I
challenged everyone to find their own
place of service to fill the void being
left by their departures. You may not
remember my exact words, but I do.