On Tuesday, Nov. 22, Judge Kent Wetherell administered the oath of office and loyalty oath to Commissioner Mike Kohler. Judge Jan Shackleford did the same for Commissioner Robert Bender.
Thanking his family, campaign workers, veteran organizations, neighborhood groups and the Escambia County Republican Party, Commissioner Kohler said, “I hope you know you got a friend up here now, and I’ll all listen and try to do it right, what’s right by district, too.”
He later added, “I’m not into reactionary governance. You’re going to see a guy that processes things to try to make the right decision.”
Commissioner Bender also thanked his family and supporters. “This really is an honor. I’m excited for what we have accomplished these last four years, but also what we’re going to accomplish.”
He gave a nod to the bipartisan politics that helped the past board get things done. Bender added, “Potholes don’t know if you’re a Republican or a Democrat when you drive over it. We want to put the best foot forward. We want to have jobs available for the people that live here, and we want to improve public safety.”
Commissioner Lumon May took over as chairman and Commissioner Steven Barry assumed the vice chairmanship.
After the passing of the gavel, Commissioner May said, “My commitment to this county is to represent this county in the best way that I can—to not always agree, but to agree to disagree and to do what’s in the common and the best interest of our community. Red, yellow, black, and white. We’re all the same in God’s sight”
He added, “We can’t allow for partisan politics to separate us based on red or blue, based on your social economic position. It should be based on what’s best for Escambia County.”