Fannin County Post One Commissioner Earl Johnson announced, during a Board of Commissioners meeting Tuesday, February 25, that he will not seek re-election to his seat.
“Through some of the recent events and changes in my family, with my son and where he’s going to attend college, and numerous reasons, I have decided to announce that I will not be seeking re-election for post one,” he said.
Johnson, who has served the county as a post commissioner for a little over seven years, explained that the position has made it difficult to not be surrounded by negativity, stating, “There’s been good times. There’s been bad times. But here recent it just seems like the political climate here in our county, and as far as with me and my business, at work and at home, I can’t name you a good thing that’s been recognized in the past three or four year of me serving, so I have no idea why I would continue to serve.
“I enjoy my job. I’ve taken my job serious. I’ve done everything I could possibly do to try to do a good job for the taxpayers, but I’ve always been taught to know when to step off the train, and in this current climate we have, with people wanting more money, the Sheriff’s Department wanting more money, Facebook ads, Facebook posts, what that’s going to entail, and I hate it for whoever is going to serve on this board, because what that means is higher taxes.”
He hopes the next person elected is able to focus on the positive in the county rather than the negative.
“It’s going to be hard for anybody with any sense whatsoever to run for a position that puts up with the scrutiny and the constant negativity that I have witnessed since I’ve been on this board,” he said. “At some point that’s got to change and it’ll probably change with better people leading the county. I hope Fannin County finds a better person than me, because I haven’t been able to do it. I hope they find a smarter, more business savvy, more straight shooter than I am, because that’s all I’ve ever been, and it hasn’t done me very well.”
He intends to complete the remainder of his term and work together with the other members of the board for the citizens of Fannin County.