Tucker Takes the Gavel
For the first time in three years, the Jefferson County Commission has a change in leadership, with the election of Robert Tucker to the position of Chairman of the County Commission. Tucker, who represents the 8th district, is beginning his eighth year of service on the County Commission. In his tenure he has served as the chair of several committees, but this marks the first time that he has been at the helm of the County Commission. Chairman Tucker stated, “I am honored and humbled by the faith of my fellow Commissioners and will work hard to make the process of government as smooth as possible for the citizens and elected officials.”
A long proponent of streamlining government for the purpose of efficiency, Chairman Tucker will be looking for ways to shorten the time spent in meetings. He is also interested in making the Work Session function more efficiently and holding to the agenda. “Our rules set the order of the agenda, and we are bound to keep to our rules, unless they are suspended. Citizens and County Commissioners need time to speak if they have a point or concern, and so do elected officials. We just need to keep the process moving to ensure that the business at hand, the voting issues, don’t get lost in a jumble of commentary. As it is now, we don’t even see the new or old business, the voting issues, until very late in the evening. I would like to see us move through the agenda at the voting meeting much more expediently to insure that voting issues are the meat of the meeting and not so late that they are almost an afterthought.”
Chairman Tucker took the gavel following the election of officers at the September voting meeting. With the election to chair also comes the appointment to serve as a member of the Economic Development Alliance. In this new role, Chairman Tucker says that he will be listening and learning. “I have limited knowledge of what serving on the EDA will mean in terms of direction and vision. Most of the members have a lengthy record of service and I will have some catching up to do but I don’t mind doing the research or putting in the time to get up to speed with the other board members.”
As for his relationship with the various arms of Jefferson County government, Chairman Tucker said, “I hope that the County Commission will forge a different relationship with the Jefferson County Mayor’s Office: one that works as a partnership for the betterment of the citizens. Every elected official was elected by the people, to serve the people, and we need to come at the issues from a position of mutual respect, no matter which elected official or which issue is in question.” As for the rumors that Tucker, himself, might have his eye on the seat at the Mayor’s desk he responded, “I have a lot of respect for the Office of the Mayor and believe that it is an important job to represent the people of Jefferson County. I would never say never. Who knows what the future holds? For now, I am spending my time settling into the position of Chair of the County Commission and as a new member of EDA and, of course, preparing to run again in my district and retain my seat representing district 8 on the County Commission.”
