GREENBORO-Fresh off the defeat of the incumbent Hale County Commissioner Lois Fields to the former Mayor of Akron Elijah Knox, three Hale County officials weighed in with their own comments about what this means for Hale County and the commission.

Hale County Probate Judge and Chairman of the Hale County Commission Leland Avery, Hale County Sheriff Larry Johnson, and the Circuit Clerk for Hale County Gay Nell Tinker all had their opinions about the defeat. They mostly agreed that the voters in Hale County District Two made their choice as to whom they wanted to be represented by.

Johnson was the most outspoken about her defeat to the new commissioner. He said she has made some bad choices during her term as a commissioner. He also said he felt like this was a move in the right direction for Hale County.

“Everything I asked for something or recommended something as sheriff, it was usually met with some kind of resentment from the commission including Fields,” Johnson said.

Avery said when talking about the defeat, the people voted the way they wanted to be governed and they wanted a change. He also said he will work with all the people that have been elected.

“Each commissioner has a district and they vote as to who they feel will represent them the best as well as the county as a whole,” Avery said.

He said his position as chairman was just one of being there to make or break ties because the four commissioners are the decision makers for the county. He also said he hopes that the commission consisting of Nixon will be a good working commission.

“I am looking forward to the county moving to bigger and better places in the future,” Avery said.

Tinker was the least outspoken concerning the defeat of Fields, but she still has her concerns about Nixon. She said the people of the district voted the way they wanted to be represented and that way meant a change was coming. She also said Fields was a strong business type on the commission and she made the other commissioners listen to reason, when it came time to vote on certain issues.

“The commissioners would vote for things that they would be told about for the first time on the same night, well Lois made sure they looked at all the angles before they voted,” Tinker said.

She said she has known Knox since 1978 and she knows that he will serve the county well, but she is concerned about his age, he is 75-years-old and he has a heart condition. She also said those were her personal concerns for him, but if the people of his district voted for him then so be it.

“The ultimate decider in the campaign was Knox’s win in his hometown of Akron in which he collected 218 votes, while Fields claimed only 24, because he won by over 100 total votes,” Tinker said.