By Jim Hunt for the News and Journal
When you spend your life working with cities and towns, you have the opportunity to witness democracy at its best. While there are lots of issues facing our country, small town governing is not one of them. I recently had the opportunity to attend the swearing-in ceremony for the Mayor, Recorder and City Council in Nutter Fort. The council chamber was filled to capacity and Family Court Judge, Lori Jackson, who grew up in Nutter Fort, preformed the swearing-in ceremony. Each council member stood, with a member of their family holding the bible, as Judge Jackson swore them in to their positions. After swearing-in City Recorder Natalie Haddix, it was then time to swear in newly elected Mayor Rezin Hudkins IV.
Mayor Hudkins is a 2003 graduate of Robert C. Byrd High School and is married to his wife, Kristin and has two children, Tripp, who is a student at Nutter Fort Elementary and Asher who will attend preschool at Nutter Fort this Fall.
It is good to see young people take an interest in their community and step up to serve in elected office. Mayor Hudkins will not have to look far if he needs advice from the former Mayor, since longtime Nutter Fort Mayor Sam Maxon decided to step down as mayor and successfully ran for a council seat. Sam is an icon in Nutter Fort and followed several successful mayors, namely Jack Gorby and Duck Webster.
Nutter Fort is a well run city and is one of the nicest towns in our area. The city facilities are meticulously maintained, and the employees take pride in their buildings and vehicles. I often see the Nutter Fort garbage truck traveling the streets and it is one of the cleanest trucks around. The fire station is a prime focus of the city, and the fire station and trucks are second to none. We often take for granted the little things that makes a community special but the residents of Nutter Fort have always supported the city and come out for city events and activities.
While bigger cities get a lot of the media attention, towns like Nutter Fort work hard and do the little things that often don’t make the evening news. They face their problems and do their best to make things right for their citizens. While the council does not always agree on every issue, like a family, they work things out without the whining and shouting so common in today’s governing. It’s not for the fame or the salary, but it is the definition of public service.
I wish Mayor Rezin Hudkins and the City Council, the best as they continue a proud legacy of good government in the town of Nutter Fort.
