Retiring County Officials Honored In Galena
Three retiring Stone County officials were celebrated on Tuesday, December 18, for their decades of service to the county. Pictured above, from left to right, are Jim Gold, outgoing Northern Road Commissioner and former member of Planning and Zoning Commission; Sue Tichenor, who served in the county treasurer’s office for 20 years; and Dennis Wood, outgoing Presiding Commissioner.
December 20, 2018
Isaac Estes-Jones
Three long-time Stone County officials were honored at a retirement reception on Tuesday, December 18. The event, which lauded Sue Tichenor, Jim Gold and Dennis Wood, was held after a short business meeting of the County Commission in Galena.
The room was filled with people from the community and Stone County workers who came to show their appreciation for the service of these three individuals.
Sue Tichenor is retiring after 20 years with the Stone County Treasurer’s Office.
Kristi Stephens, Stone County Treasurer, tearfully thanked Tichenor for all of her years of service in the office. “It’s been a good 20 years. I’ve had kids in that time. We’ve lost parents. We’ve done and seen so much together,” Stephens said.
“She has touched every office in this County, and we will all miss her,” she concluded.
Tichenor spoke after receiving her plaque from Stephens. “It has been a good 20 years. I appreciate all that we’ve done. Everyone has been very caring and we have done very good together. I’m so glad for what we have done,” she said.
Also stepping down after over a decade of service is Jim Gold. Gold has served as the Northern Road Commissioner since 2005. He also served on the county’s Planning and Zoning commission from 2004 to 2015.
Northern Commissioner Mark Maples praised Gold for his service. “People who serve in these positions don’t do it for the money. They don’t earn a wage, just a stipend for each meeting. But their time and their work in coming to the meetings really shows how much they care,” Maples said. “Both of those positions he held are the types of things that not a lot of people want to get on,” he concluded.
“I’ll miss seeing everybody and I’ll miss doing all of this,” Gold said.
Stone County Presiding Commissioner Dennis Wood is also retiring at the end of this year after he decided not to seek re-election. Mark Maples will be sworn in as Presiding Commissioner along with all other elected officials at 9 a.m. on Thursday, December 27, in the Commission meeting room in Galena.
Maples reminisced about his time serving with Wood before presenting him with a plaque. “We butted heads when I first started on this board. But I learned a lot from him about what to do and what not to do. I want to thank him for that guidance.
“It is a hard job, but Dennis did it well. And you are leaving Stone County better than when you found it, and that’s the thing we all try to do,” Maples said.
Dennis Wood addressed the packed commission room next.
“Service is something I was taught from a very young age,” he said. “One thing my parents taught me is, ‘if it’s all about me, then it will never be all about you.’ They also taught me that service is something that you actually do. And it has been my privilege to serve the best people in the world.”
Wood spoke about his time since moving to Stone County at the age of 26, coming from Iowa and the numerous things he has seen in the county.
“It’s been a phenomenal trip. But, you’re in great hands. It’s been my privilege to serve you all of these years.”
Isaac Estes-Jones
Three long-time Stone County officials were honored at a retirement reception on Tuesday, December 18. The event, which lauded Sue Tichenor, Jim Gold and Dennis Wood, was held after a short business meeting of the County Commission in Galena.
The room was filled with people from the community and Stone County workers who came to show their appreciation for the service of these three individuals.
Sue Tichenor is retiring after 20 years with the Stone County Treasurer’s Office.
Kristi Stephens, Stone County Treasurer, tearfully thanked Tichenor for all of her years of service in the office. “It’s been a good 20 years. I’ve had kids in that time. We’ve lost parents. We’ve done and seen so much together,” Stephens said.
“She has touched every office in this County, and we will all miss her,” she concluded.
Tichenor spoke after receiving her plaque from Stephens. “It has been a good 20 years. I appreciate all that we’ve done. Everyone has been very caring and we have done very good together. I’m so glad for what we have done,” she said.
Also stepping down after over a decade of service is Jim Gold. Gold has served as the Northern Road Commissioner since 2005. He also served on the county’s Planning and Zoning commission from 2004 to 2015.
Northern Commissioner Mark Maples praised Gold for his service. “People who serve in these positions don’t do it for the money. They don’t earn a wage, just a stipend for each meeting. But their time and their work in coming to the meetings really shows how much they care,” Maples said. “Both of those positions he held are the types of things that not a lot of people want to get on,” he concluded.
“I’ll miss seeing everybody and I’ll miss doing all of this,” Gold said.
Stone County Presiding Commissioner Dennis Wood is also retiring at the end of this year after he decided not to seek re-election. Mark Maples will be sworn in as Presiding Commissioner along with all other elected officials at 9 a.m. on Thursday, December 27, in the Commission meeting room in Galena.
Maples reminisced about his time serving with Wood before presenting him with a plaque. “We butted heads when I first started on this board. But I learned a lot from him about what to do and what not to do. I want to thank him for that guidance.
“It is a hard job, but Dennis did it well. And you are leaving Stone County better than when you found it, and that’s the thing we all try to do,” Maples said.
Dennis Wood addressed the packed commission room next.
“Service is something I was taught from a very young age,” he said. “One thing my parents taught me is, ‘if it’s all about me, then it will never be all about you.’ They also taught me that service is something that you actually do. And it has been my privilege to serve the best people in the world.”
Wood spoke about his time since moving to Stone County at the age of 26, coming from Iowa and the numerous things he has seen in the county.
“It’s been a phenomenal trip. But, you’re in great hands. It’s been my privilege to serve you all of these years.”