Thigpen has experience, but Nichols has 'vision' for growing county

Editor:

Concerning the District 1 Columbia County Commission race:

A key characteristic I have looked for in the past for anyone (developers, commissioners, county employees, citizens in general) is vision. The News-Times editorial in the race noted Scott Nichols' vision. His opponent offers experience in various appointed positions, but not vision, and I have not seen any demonstrated by him.

Ron Thigpen said early on (but not later as a result of criticism by Nichols) that everything was all right, and that no change in the way the County did things was needed. This, in a rapidly-growing community! In one commission meeting, even County Commission Chairman Ron Cross admitted in so many words that the commissioners still had things to learn.

Comparing Nichols to Thigpen is like comparing an architect to the carpenter, however skilled. You can't build the house without a plan. Besides his other seminal ideas, Nichols brings his considerable North American (not just local) experience with water-related technology - certainly a matter much in the minds of many sedimented citizens in the county.

John Graham

Evans