Let me start by saying this isn’t a campaign ploy.
If it were, I wouldn’t be writing this just yet. I would hold off until August or September.
I have learned so much since becoming a commissioner. One thing that I’ve learned is that no matter what I do, I can’t make everyone happy. All I have to do is read HiH and I can see that. I would be telling a lie if I said bad things written about me don’t bother me, because they do. I don’t have thick skin. I just have to keep in mind that I wanted this position, and I have to take everything that goes with it, both good and bad.
Since I took office, I’ve tried to talk to anyone and everyone who has an idea or suggestion to offer. I’ve listened to people from every background. I always keep an open mind, and I have actually changed my mind on issues after listening to people with more knowledge on given topics than I.
I ran on a platform that said I would represent the citizens and not myself. I’ve stuck to that. I have one vote that I regret, and I tried in April to make that right, but I wasn’t successful. Voting to table zoning was a mistake. That is my opinion. There are some officials that are puppets. That is a given. But there are some who honestly want to make a difference. We as citizens need to rally behind those officials and help them as much as we can.
I make $510 per month as a commissioner. The way I figure it, I make about $1 per hour. There are times I hate being a commissioner, but that’s not frequent.
There are two more things I want to say. First, we need to defend our rights, and that includes freedom of speech. I’ve been called everything in the book and I don’t like it, but it’s freedom of speech, a principle on which our country was founded. HiH has been a great thing for Henderson. We should all rally behind Jason.
Last thing: Get out and vote. Yes, churches take people to the poll. That’s not the problem. The problem is that there are too many people who don’t get out and vote! Vote the way your heart and your convictions tell you to, even if they tell you to vote for my opponent, vote that way. This is the point of democracy.
Scott Hughes
Vance County Commissioner
Henderson