Dear editor,

I am writing this letter today to ask for your support for Carolyn W. Walker for Walker County tax commissioner.

I have worked for Walker County in one office or another for more than 30 years. I started in the tax office for Ralph Aiken in 1976. Mr. Aiken was a good boss, and I loved working for him until he became ill and had to retire. I then worked for Melba Powell as her deputy tax commissioner. Melba was also a great boss and was wonderful to work for.

It is amazing how far the tax commissioner’s office has come since I first started there in 1976. There have been so many changes in the office over the last 37 years.

I left that office in 1991 for personal reasons and later worked in the clerk of court office in 1995 until Carolyn Walker was elected in 2001 and asked me to work for her. I went to work again in the tax commissioner’s office in December 2002.

To say that the office has changed is an understatement. Carolyn had many ideas that she brought from her banking and real estate knowledge and experiences and a desire to modernize the tax office. Under her leadership, the office utilizes more technology, and she continues to try to make the office more convienent for the average citizen.

Carolyn implemented a system of accountability with the money and disbursements that are made to the county, cities, state and schools. She wants her staff to be professional and encourages us to be more customer friendly and is cross training all employees.

In November 2009, I had a stroke. At the time, I was only a part-time employee in the tax office. I wanted to continue to work, but it has taken me some time to recover from the effects of my stroke, and I am now working part-time again. Carolyn has been really good to me. She has not treated me any differently from any of the other employees. She is fair and honest. I have never worked for another individual who cares for her employees like Carolyn does. She has went out of her way to help many of her staff when misfortune has come their way.

Carolyn is receptive to the public, and it is not uncommon to find her working the window on either the “Property Tax” or “Automobile Registration” side of the office or in either of her two offices. There are not many people in management today who are that in touch with their constituents. Carolyn is understanding when it comes to financial hardships, and I have seen firsthand the compassion that she gives to the public in making payment agreements. By offering payment arrangements on tax bills, we seem to steadily collect more property tax money. I have nothing bad to say about Keith Fults. He is a likeable guy, and I worked with him when he worked in the tax assessor’s office in the courthouse. But he does not have the wisdom or experience that Carolyn does.

When you vote on July 31, please vote for Carolyn Walker. She is honest, trustworthy and is doing a great job.

Glenda Noblitt, LaFayette