Columbia County 'needs to keep Ron Cross' as commission chairman

Editor:

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I served eight years on the Columbia County Commission, four of them four years ago with Ron Cross as chairman. He always treats folks with respect. He is a good listener and always seeks input from not only other commissioners but county employees.

I have seen the budget for next year and under Cross' leadership, the millage rate will be the same as it has been since 2000, except when voters approved an increase to provide fire service for the entire unincorporated county.

We need to keep Cross as chairman, so I am asking all of the voters to vote for him.

Brett McGuire's plan is to fire all of the division directors - this means Pam Tucker in emergency services, Billy Clayton at the water utility, Leanne DeLoache in finance, and the other department heads. These folks do a great job for the county, and placing commissioners to head up the departments will definitely not work.

McGuire is being backed by deep-pockets George Snelling, who wants to pave every inch and cut down every tree in Columbia County.

Tom Mercer

Martinez