Commissioner Flowers bids good-bye to board
By Matt Shaw
Published in News on November 24, 2004 1:58 PM
Arnold Flowers, sometimes controversial, always outspoken, said his good-byes Tuesday to the Wayne County Board of Commissioners.
A commissioner for the last four year, Flowers is the only person leaving the board after this month. He chose not to run again and will be replaced by Roland "Bud" Gray, a Democrat.
Flowers' departure will also mark the end of a term when the board had the most Republicans in its history. During the last four years, the board has had four Democrats and three Republicans.
Flowers started by thanking his friends and supporters, in particular, his wife, Gloria. "She's my greatest asset other than my Lord, Jesus Christ," he said.
Flowers said that he would be leaving a calculator and a copy of the U.S. Constitution at his desk for Gray, who was in the audience.
"I do feel like someone needs to be adding up the numbers," he said. He also asked Gray to protect residents' property rights.
He continued, "I do believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, and the Bible is the inspired word of God."
He acknowledged that many people watching the meeting on TV might not believe as he does, but he also said that he would use the forum as long as he was commissioner.
He then read a passage from the Book of Ecclesiastes that concludes, "Fear God and keep his commandments, for that is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."
He concluded by telling the other commissioners that he would pray for them and help the county as he's able.
Commissioner Atlas Price said that it had been a pleasure to work with Flowers for the past four years. "We disagreed from time to time, but we've accomplished a whole lot, too," he said.
Chairman J.D. Evans added that he liked Flowers because he had strong opinions but still could be convinced, given enough evidence, to change his mind. "Your heart was in the right place," he said.
When Commissioner Efton Sager decided earlier this year to run for re-election, Flowers had kidded him, "Maybe you'll get lucky and not win," Sager recalled. "We're in for a tough four years. We have a lot of tough issues ahead of us."
With a laugh, Commissioner John Bell asked Flowers to give them at least a year before he comes back and complains about what they're doing.
Gray and the returning commissioners will be sworn in Monday, Dec. 6. That meeting date is a change from the usual first-Tuesday schedule.