<< Back 12/4/02 Corbin, Greene offer parting advice to new commissioners By Don Hendershot You could see the pride on Billy Jenkins face as he watched history last Monday morning when his father-in-law, Jay Dee Shepherd, was sworn in as the first black commissioner elected in Macon County. “It’s wonderful. He’s a good man for the job. Good, honest, down-home,” Jenkins said. Shepherd joined Bob Simpson and returning District 1 commissioner Alan Bryson at the swearing-in ceremony at the Macon County Courthouse. Macon County commissioners are elected to staggered terms and these three join incumbents Mark West and Charlie Leatherman to create Macon’s new board. Outgoing chairman Harold Corbin presided over the election of the new board’s chairman and vice-chairman. The board unanimously selected Mark West as chairman and Alan Bryson as vice-chairman. As Corbin passed the gavel to West, he offered some “country-boy” advice. “When the doers quit doing, the critics will be out of business. I hope this board will keep the critics busy,” Corbin said. West praised Corbin for the “nonpartisan way” he led the county. Outgoing commissioner Janet Greene enjoyed a different perspective, from the audience, as the new board conducted its inaugural meeting. “It was a good board to serve with, but in some ways I will be glad not to have all the meetings to go to.” She offered this advice to the incoming commissioners, “You can’t do what everyone wants you to do. You have your constituency that elected you but you work for the entire county. You have to look at the whole picture.” The new board wasted little time attending to the county’s business. The board voted 5-0 not to approve a restaurant plan review fee sought by the health department. The board did, however, reserve the right to address the item again. The board also addressed the third one-half cent sales tax. The former board was one of few in the state to pass on enacting the one-half cent sales tax to take effect in December. The question Monday was what to do about next fiscal year. The board voted to enact the sales tax, beginning July 1, 2003, provided the state’s option on the tax sunsets at that time. The result would be no net increase for Macon County taxpayers, but the revenue collected would go to the county rather than the state. The board reserved the right to revisit the issue should the state option not sunset as scheduled. Commissioners also changed regular meeting times. The January 2003 meeting will remain at 9 a.m. on the first Monday but after that meetings will convene at 6 p.m. the first Monday of each month.