Monday’s work session marked the first Board of Commissioners meeting for new chairman Richard Higgins.
The meeting itself was rather uneventful aside from the selection of District 4 Commissioner Jeff Stowe to succeed District 3 Commissioner Scott Gibbs as Commission Vice Chairman. What it did do, however, was give Higgins a chance to get his feet wet at his new position.
Higgins previously served 12 years on the Hall County Schoolboard, the last 11 as chairman.
“The schoolboard is a larger budget with a lot more employees,” Higgins said. “With the schoolboard, we have mainly one focus whereas (the commission), you have so many more moving parts.
“This group that I’m a part of now has done a great job in the past and it’s nice to be a part of that and part of the team.”
One of Higgins’ goals is to separate any personal feelings he may have about an issue and to make decisions based solely on what’s best for the county.
“The biggest thing is doing the right thing for the right reason,” said Higgins, a lifelong Hall County resident. “It’s not about the individual but doing the right thing for our county.”
Higgins does not take this appointment lightly as he says he prayed before making the decision to run for commission chairman.
“We’re not here on the Earth just to take up space,” Higgins said. “I think this is what I’m supposed to do and this is where I need to be.”
