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OPINION A couple of months ago I ran into an old acquaintance. He lives in Bullard and works in Jacksonville. At the time, it was the opposite situation for me. As we were talking about Bullard, he asked me a question I've heard many times before and since. "What's the difference between Jacksonville and Bullard?" I knew what he was asking, and I said it was something I'd given a lot of thought about. We weren't necessarily saying that Jacksonville is a bad place. But we both know that there's a cachet to Bullard, and we were trying to reason it out. My thoughts were this: My family and I moved to Jacksonville more than 30 years ago, and my mother would tell you today that she's still an outsider. The first question a newcomer gets is "Who is your family, and where do you go to church?" It's not like that here. Maybe it's because Bullard is growing so quickly, and so many new people are moving here. I don't know a definitive answer, but whatever it is, I like it. The progressiveness of Bullard and its citizens never ceases to amaze me. Both new and old residents are welcoming and involved, and that's quite rare. People are engaged and involved - from the schools to city government. And perhaps everyone knows a good thing when they see it. A.W. Hines is a good example of that. No one filed to run against him for mayor, and that's a good sign. To me it says that the citizens of Bullard recognize this man's skills and expertise. They see his commitment to the citizens and they appreciate it. I think they're absolutely right. I've not missed a regular council meeting since I started working at the newspaper almost two years ago. So I have had a good opportunity to see him make decisions concerning the future of Bullard. And I'm still impressed. Were it not for Hines, I wouldn't think nearly as much about zoning, infrastructure and annexation issues. He's stopped on an agenda item and said, "I have a problem with this." Speaking your mind can be a risky move for an elected official, yet I've seen him do it time and time again. He's done things others were too afraid to do, and he's taken a stand when others might be unsure. I'm sure if you asked anyone on the current council, they would say the same. He's been responsible for enacting stricter zoning measures, developer impact fees, and performance bonds - all to protect current and future homebuyers and property owners. The interesting thing about it is that he stands professionally to lose profit from these measures he proposed. Yet, he's a loyal and honest man, and he takes his elected position seriously. And he's far from egodriven. He will demur from the spotlight, and be quick to give others credit. He's never off the job as a councilman, and he gets no compensation for it. I applaud Hines for running and for never backing down from hard choices. Bullard can only get better with him as our mayor. ! Lori Mellinger is the editor of the Bullard Banner News. You may reach her via e-mail to editor@bullardnews. com | |||||
