Seminole County (FL) Commission Meeting
9 August 2016
Chris Jepson (295 words)

Thank you, commissioners and staff.

All of you have made sacrifices in your commitment to community.

Kudos to the staff of Seminole County as well. Good government requires an informed and engaged public, committed elected officials such as your self and a competent, professional staff to ensure the execution of sound public policy as well as the management of county services. Again, Kudos to you all.

As we begin today, let us pause for a moment and consider who we are and why we’re here TOGETHER as citizens of Seminole County.

Today’s agenda reveals a growing county, one with many strengths. Challenges, too. We avoid the challenges at our peril.

One outcome for today is that we will have come together cooperatively to do the public’s good work.

We convene today because - as county stakeholders, - “We the people” represent democracy in action. Local government, above all others, welcomes direct participation in a unique way.

No matter who you are – you have a voice in how government works for you. Some voices are loud, some insistent, but all are welcome. All of us are due consideration.

Let us take a lesson from the Great American Free Thinker Robert Ingersoll and strive to:

•     Be sincere.

•    To utter honest words

•    To love liberty,

•    To Receive new truths with gladness, and, finally,

•    To Cultivate hope - as we do the best – that can be done.

Let me close with Robert Ingersoll’ most famous quote:

“This is my doctrine: - Give every other human being - every right- you claim for yourself.” End of quote

We are here - as Seminole Countians - to hopefully pursue all these things today.  

As One people, - one county, -
as one nation, -
all strong –
and indivisible.

Thank you.

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