Britton

County CommissionerThree candidates on the ballot.

This week: Boyd Britton.

My name is Boyd Britton and I have been your county commissioner for the past three and a half years. I want to thank all of you for the privilege of serving the citizens of Grant County and I hope those of you who know me or have had interaction with me during these past years feel I’ve tried to do a good job.

As a member of the County Court, I dealt with a wide range of issues, many of them complex and involving variables from state laws to federal laws to budget rules to county policies.

One of our successes in the county has been the completion of the Community Fire Protection Plan. It was completed by a lot of hard work and input from all communities in the county and collaboration with Oregon Department of Forestry and the U.S. Forest Service. The protection plan has opened up new avenues for the Forest Service to accomplish more toward forest health as in the upcoming Canyon Creek thinning project. It has also enabled some of our rural fire boards to upgrade their equipment.

One of the things that has a potential of yielding positive results is that the court has established a constructive dialogue with a few significant members of the environmental community. We’ve organized two field trips where we could convey to them our concerns about what’s happening with our natural resources and to demonstrate where active resource management can produce a healthier sustainable forest.

When I ran for office in 2002, I said I’d improve the relations between the County Court and the Sheriff’s Department. They have improved, but we still have a lot more to do.

My wife, Bonnie, and I are committed to Grant County. She had an opportunity to transfer to Albuquerque, N.M., with excellent advancement potential, but we decided this is our home and she retired early and has joined me in our welding business.

It has been an honor to serve with Judge Dennis Reynolds and Commissioner Scott Meyers and to work with the fine people in our county services. We’ve made some significant changes and I couldn’t be prouder of the people that serve Grant County.

My theory of government is very close to what Ronald Reagan said in his 1981 inaugural address, and that is make it work – “work with us, not over us; stand by our side, not ride on our back. Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it.” This is just as true as it was 25 years ago.

I’ve worked hard as your county commissioner, and I would appreciate your vote. Thank you.