“The Public Safety Building was another major project,” Mr. Johnson said. “The Sheriff's Department badly needed larger and better space, as did the IT Department, E911, and EMS. All those departments had ‘made do’ with inadequate space for years and I am very pleased that the County was able to address those needs.” Beyond those specific examples, Mr. Johnson was also proud of “the fact that we have improved county services to our taxpayers while maintaining a relatively low tax rate.” He noted the example of the collection centers operated to collect waste at many locations throughout Orange County. “It was one of the issues I ran on in 1995. With the unmanned convenience centers, if the green boxes were full some people would just dump their garbage on the ground. So, we added compactors and manned the sites. We improved it... made it better... without spending huge amounts of taxpayer money.” The final question we asked the Chairman was whether he had any outgoing advice or closing thoughts for current and future Supervisors. He answered, “From my experience, it’s so important that the Board members build trust amongst themselves. They've got to trust and respect each other. You can get so much more accomplished for the county if you do that. Don’t use your vote as a tool – or a weapon. Work together to solve the problems. There will be disagreements, but work together, talk to each other.” He chuckled, “The person you’re annoyed with today will be the person you need for a vote tomorrow. There are only five of you, and how the Board treats each other in public is important. It helps build trust among the citizens.” In appreciation for his service, Orange County held a reception in his honor before the December 16 Board of Supervisors Meeting. Well attended by current and former Supervisors, as well as an extensive list of friends, community members, and staff, the reception demonstrated the far reaching impacts that come from decades of public service. Thank you, Chairman Johnson.
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