A Comment on the Sheriff's Race in Lamar County
1.27.12
Dear Editor,
Pike County sits right next door to Lamar County, and I know you folks have your own sheriff, and he is a good one. But, let’s face it … what happens in
Lamar can – and does – drift over into Pike, so what is good for Lamar, is also good for Pike. That’s just the way it is here is our state, and our counties.
Joe Buice is a home boy. His family has been in our county since before most of us can remember. He was born and raised in Lamar County. He graduated from High School in Lamar County. He received his Associates Degree in Business Administration in Lamar County.
He is member of the First Church of the Nazarene in Barnesville and Pinta Masonic Lodge 88 right here in Lamar County. In 1998 as a sworn officer of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, he was assigned to a field supervisory position in charge of 8 counties, one of which was Lamar County.
During his tenor as a DNR Officer, his life was threatened, but he never backed down.
In April of 2004 -- after 20 years of credible service with Department of Natural Resources – he resigned so he could qualify – under state provisions – to run for the Office as Sheriff of Lamar County.
He was elected and served from 2005 until 2009. During his term as Sheriff of Lamar County, he re-evaluated the mission and long-term goals of the department. Some of the economically feasible ideas he incorporated included:
• In his first 3 years of his term in office, he saved the tax payers of this county over $500,000.00, even while updating the department by:
• Incorporating a 5 year rotation on all patrol vehicles
• Refurbished much of the interior of the jail, a federal requirement under the Safe Streets Act
• Relocated and completely renovating the criminal investigations building
• Upgraded all vehicle camera systems to automatic recorder systems
• Installing enhanced security camera systems in all county government offices
• Installing controlled electronic access to the Sheriff’s Office
And all of that was accomplished while staying entirely within the Sheriff’s Office budget, and in fact, showing a $78,000.00 surplus in the first three years of his administration.
Honesty and integrity are personal attributes we all want to see in our elected officials. Joe Buice possesses, in abundance, both of those. His record proves that he is above reproach. If he has a fault, it is that he is not –and has never been – a politician.
True enough, Joe Buice is not a politician, and he is running for office in Lamar County. Does that make you smile or frown? If it makes you smile, then you and I agree. The last person we need in the sheriff’s office is a politician.
If it makes you frown, then perhaps you should be living in Cobb or Fulton, or maybe DeKalb counties, because the last thing we need in Lamar County as our sheriff is a politician. Yes, we need an administrator, and Joe Buice’s record shows that he is an administrator. And, yes, we need someone who can get the job done and save some tax payer’s money. Joe did that.
Moreover, we need someone we can respect, and Joe Buice is that person. He always has been, and he hasn’t changed. He is, and has always been … Joe Buice. A man we can respect, admire, and trust.
Dewitt Edenfield
Lamar County
|