Hoyt: Grateful for chance to serve as commissioner

I would like to take a moment and thank all the people who have supported me serving as your Red Willow County Commissioner over the past eight years.

Although I did not accomplish all I set out to do, there were things we did accomplish that I am proud to say I was part of. The two commissioners I worked directly with are of very high character and have a true sincerity to do the right thing whatever the decision requires.

The balance of employees whether elected or hired are very dedicated and strive to do the best they can under the laws provided them. We sometimes get discouraged with the way things are done in our county government, but most of the time it is the rules and regulations passed down from the state that we have to follow that makes it hard -- but with a little common sense could make it so simple.

All of us at one time or another go that extra mile working behind the scenes, doing things that not a lot of people realize. Whether it be taking the phone calls late at night, digging around a culvert to see where the water is going, mowing roads on weekends, flagging roads, taking fuel to motor graders in a blizzard or running a pay loader digging out an elderly couple so they could get to the doctor, all are qualifications of a commissioner.

Then you get down to the nuts and bolts when you go through valuation hearings (ruling against your neighbor or friend), budget process, committee meetings and last but not least health insurance, employee wages and benefits.

Then when you get that all done and think maybe you might have done something right, you get to read the Open Forum in the Gazette or better yet read the blogs on the Gazette's web page that people sign under an assumed name and your balloon goes flat. Better yet, you can't even find it now.

But that is what we all sign up for when we get elected, and hopefully realize that before we sign our name on the ballot.

It has been a real learning experience, one that I will never forget nor will I ever regret doing it. I have met some real interesting people and I now have the knowledge of how government works, whether good or bad. I wish my successor the best. She has a lot to learn in a very short time but we were all there at one time or another.

Again, thank you for the opportunity to serve you and may God Bless Red Willow County and the United States of America.

Sincerely Yours

Leigh T. Hoyt,

McCook