A special meeting commenced on Friday morning at the Polk County Government Center for Paul Reese to be sworn in as Polk County Commissioner for District 1 by Judge Anne Rasmusson. Reese received 57 percent of the votes of the 1,023 that voted. Reese will fill the vacancy due to the passing of Jerry Jacobson.
Reese, a resident of Fertile, has been very active in his community for many years. “I’ve been involved with the Fertile Fire Department for 24 years but retired for the past four years,” said Reese, “but I’m still actively the medical officer, so I still go to the bigger fires and accidents.” Reese is also on the church board in Fertile, notably building a new church in the last ten years; he has also served on the Legion Committee, which built a veteran’s memorial.
Reese initially hesitated to run for Polk County Commissioner due to other involvements and obligations until he had some support from his spouse. “I was sitting by my wife one day, and she looked at me and said, ‘Maybe you should do it,’ and that’s where it started,” said Reese, “over the next couple of days, we talked about it, then we decided to do it.”
Reese also believed his faith was a driving force in the decision. “The decision comes from above; I did this because of my redeemer,” said Reese, “you can’t say no to that, and that’s where this came from. You can’t take the selfish way out when you get the direction.”
During the election process, Reese stated that the result would be out of his control, but he was confident that the community members would stand by him and vote and that his reputation spoke for itself. “You can do all the campaigning in the world, but if your reputation is questionable, it will be a tougher road.”
Reese claimed that his goal as county commissioner is to help future generations and focus on what the county can control. “I’ll stand up for our generation, but there isn’t much change that can be made up to this point,” said Reese, “I think it’s what we do now that can affect the future.” Reese, a Polk County native himself, also stated that he has grandchildren that reside in Polk County, and if they continue to be residents, Reese wants to ensure “they have a good foundation.”
Taxes and budgets have been vital talking points brought up by District 1 residents, and Reese claimed his role is more than those issues. “In Government talks, they always worry about taxes, and yes, taxes are important,” said Reese, “Taxes are important because they make the world go round. But it’s not everything; you got to have social issues addressed because they are essential, and we can’t fall away from the good graces we are blessed with.”
Paul Reese will serve as County Commissioner for District 1 at the following Polk County Board meeting on Tuesday, August 15, at 8:30 am.
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