Editor:
With qualifying for local elections quickly approaching, I am writing this Letter to the Editor to inform the residents of the 2nd District, that I will not be seeking re-election as your commissioner. When I ran for this office four years ago, I ran with four major goals. To establish staggered terms on the Board of Commissioners, hire a county administrator, improve roads, and bring more businesses into the county. With the other commissioners, three of these four goals have been achieved.
For our citizens, Rye Patch Road and Elim Church Road were resurfaced and will be completed this year. Also, a very dangerous intersection at Elim Church Road and Lee Place Road/Horsecreek Road was made much safer, and now dirt roads are being maintained better than they have ever been. Now, we also have not only a county administrator, but also a very qualified support staff, and some of the best employees in the world providing quality service to our citizens. A few of the other highlights that have been accomplished include consolidating our offices in the newly established Mary Ann Odum Annex, completing our recreation complex, upgrading our solid waste service with AllGreen Services, improving animal control, and increasing our fire protection to 24 hours a day. For our employees, a much-needed retirement program has been established, wages have been increased, and despite higher medical cost throughout our nation, they continue to be provided health insurance at no cost to them. For our citizens all of this has been done, without having to raise taxes one penny. Finally, I also am proud, that with the help of Ray Howard and Representative Jeff Jones, we were able to name a portion of Highway 84 after my friend, the late Chief Frank McClelland Jr.
Regrettably bringing in more businesses has been much more difficult than envisioned, and that goal has not been achieved. But please know, that efforts to bring business here have been ongoing, and will continue for the remainder of my term.
Though I still have 10 months left to serve, writing this letter does give me the opportunity to say thank you to a few people.
First, I want to thank all the employees for their hard work, dedication, and support. I also want to thank all the other Commissioners currently serving and those who have stepped down, and the Constitutional Officers for their service to the county. I especially want to thank the people in the 2nd District and the other parts of the county for your support and your kind words, calls, texts, and emails. They meant more than you will ever know. I also want to thank you, for allowing me the opportunity to serve you over the last three years, and I will continue to do my best for you over the next ten months.
Finally, I want to thank my family for their support. All my grandkids, Haley, and Holden, all I have ever wanted to do is be a good example for you, I know I don’t always do that, but that is my goal and I love you. Gina, you are everything to me, my biggest goals in life is to make you proud of me and to try to be a more Godly husband for you. And lastly, I want to thank the good Lord for saving me and allowing me to be the most blessed man in the world.
Sincerely,
Mike Riddle
Commissioner D-2
Long County Board of Commissioners