County Commission | The Magazine July 2019 | Page 5

And I have held on to those
words for the past 12 months.
After one of the most
incredible years of my life, my
hope for each of you is that
you will be re-energized by our
successes and that you will be
more dedicated to ensuring that
we do not give up one inch of
what has been accomplished.
As we gather for the 91st
Convention next month, it’s my
hope that we will stay humble. I’m
as proud of our wins as anybody,
but there are other issues and
dangers just over the horizon. If
I ride off into that sunset, put my
feet up on my desk and rest — the
accomplishments of this year will
soon be lost.
We’ve got to turn the Rebuild
Alabama Act from a piece of paper
into resurfaced roads and new bridges,
Biggest Wins for Alabama Counties | 2018-2019
v REBUILD ALABAMA ACT v
Improving County Infrastructure through Increased Fuel Taxes
v COUNTY RISK SERVICES, INC. v
Enhancing Insurance Services for Fund Members
v 2 NORTH JACKSON STREET v
Upgrading Facilities to Better Serve County Needs
© Can Stock Photo / 3dfoto
and we’ve got to show taxpayers that
their money is well spent.
Clearly, our state’s prison crisis
touches every county budget in
Alabama. The 2015 sentencing
reforms have proven a heavy burden,
with rising numbers of state inmates
crowding county jails. The prison
reforms on the horizon could make
our situation at the local level even
worse if the state’s responsibilities are
further shifted onto counties.
And there are many other issues
that my friend David Money will
confront during his year as president
of this remarkable organization.
I’m grateful that I have witnessed
what counties can do when we speak
with ONE Voice, and I’m grateful
to know that we are capable of even
more. Thank you for putting your
trust in me.
I will leave you with the words that
began our journey together last August.
There is certainly enough
unfinished work to go around. If we
are to have complete success, it will
take all of us. n
Architecture, Civil Engineering,
Municipal Engineering, Community Planning,
Environmental, Geotechnical, Landscape,
Surveying, GIS, Airports and Transportation
Goodwyn Mills Cawood
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COUNTY COMMISSION | 5