Public Service
From The Morgan County News
Over the last weekend I, once again, was reminded of the great service culture of Morgan and many of its public servants. My experience in Morgan is that the city council, school board, county council, and other public servants really do think of themselves as servants to the public. I believe there is no better example of this than city council member Shelley Betz.
I have written, in the past, about Betz and Mayor Egbert’s tireless work to bring businesses to Morgan City, particularly to Commercial Street. The care does not stop once the businesses are here. It continues as the city does what it can to help the businesses succeed.
All through the summer, each Saturday morning would find council member Betz working on the flowers on Commercial Street. She treated this effort as though it was her own garden and she was faithful at keeping the street looking colorful and fresh.
The city’s work on Christmas on Commercial Street was a great event for city and county residents. It was a fun party that brought together friends and neighbors. It also introduced many city residents to the new businesses on Commercial Street. As a part of the event the city had the windows of the businesses along Commercial Street painted with holiday images. It was fun, festive, and added to the holiday spirit as well as the environment of the celebration.
Last week I asked member Betz whether the city was planning to remove the paint from the windows. She said yes, but that it had been too cold. She told me that it would be removed, even if she was the one that had to do it. You can always count on Shelley to be as good as her word. The next Saturday she had read in the Morgan County News that Browning was having the celebration of John M. Browning Day. She was out there last weekend, in freezing temperatures, removing the paint from the windows to prepare for this event.
This, to me, is the definition of a public servant. Council member Betz lives up to, not just the letter of her assignments, but to the spirit, and beyond. She cares deeply about the city and its success, and it shows in her actions every week. Betz deserves deep thanks for her efforts. She has mine.
I have highlighted Betz this week, but the same can be said of many of those who serve in the governmental bodies in Morgan County. I have interviewed nearly all of them now and feel the spirit of service throughout these interviews. I express my thanks to these individuals who give of their time and talents to serve the community in which they live and make the governmental system we have, of a government by the people, work as it was designed.
