A new year means a few new faces in Monroe County government. Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony at the courthouse featured 11 elected officials, from county coroner to county council.
New Monroe County Councilmember and current county Democrat Party Chair David Henry said the government is committed to making progress on projects like the Convention Center and Criminal Justice Campus.
“It’s one thing to have a tax, it’s another thing to have a location,” Henry said. “We’re really now thinking into the weeds about how we’re going to fund all of the wrap-around services.”
Henry also wants to focus on improving the lives of those who work for the government.
“We have to treat our county people well,” he said. “If we pay our people well, they will perform for the community, and we’ll get those rewards back. So, I look forward to working on some of those HR issues to make sure our county employees are well taken care of and competitive.”
Cheryl Munson was supposed to be a part of Wednesday’s ceremony, but she passed away last month. Her vacant at-large county council seat will be filled this Sunday.
Prior to the start of the ceremony, a moment of silence was held in Munson’s memory.
“No one is going to replace Cheryl and what she brought to the community in terms of her vision for rural development and non-profit work in the community,” Henry said, “but we have some admirable people who are willing to take up the torch and move forward where she left off. We all miss her and we’re going to miss her for a long time.”
Participating in Wednesday’s swearing-in ceremony at the Monroe County Courthouse were:
· Darcie Fawcett – Circuit Court IX
· Christine Taley Haseman – Circuit Court IV
· Catherine Stafford – Circuit Court III
· Brianne Gregory - County Auditor
· Catherine Smith - County Treasurer
· Jeffrey Hall - County Coroner
· Trohn Enright-Randolph – County Surveyor
· Julie Thomas – County Commissioner
· Jody Madeira – County Commissioner
· Trent Deckard- County Councilperson At-Large
· David Henry – County Councilperson At-Large