The end of the year is coming up, and with that will come the end of term for the Lauderdale County board of supervisors.

That will mean some changes to the board: District 2 Supervisor Jimmie Smith is leaving office after 20 years of service, and newcomer Wayman Newell will take over the District 2 position.

Eddie Harper, who has served only one term as District 1 supervisor, will also be leaving. Harper, after running for a state office, but then dropping out of the race, chose not to seek re-election as county supervisor. He will be replaced by Hank Florey, who held the office from 1996-2004. Florey, who needed extra time to look after his ailing mother, did not run in the 2003 race, but says he is glad to be returning to the board in 2008.

Though Florey, a retired businessman, took time away from politics when his mother was ill, he did not appear phased about having himself suffered a stroke on Nov. 7. He was released last week from a 22-day stay in the hospital.

“I’m doing fine,” he said. “I’ve been doing physical therapy and I’ve been responding well to that and to my medicine.

“I want people in the county to know that I’m physically and mentally ready for the job,” he said in an interview Thursday. Florey was not able to move around as well as a healthy person might, but otherwise seemed fine.

Florey lives in North Meridian with his wife, Letha, and his two Jack Russell terriers, Rascal and Baby.

He has two children, a daughter who lives in Atlanta and a son here in Meridian, and two stepchildren, both of whom live in Meridian. He also has three grandchildren, Emma, 1, Addie, 8, and Jackson, 10. Addie and Jackson both attend Poplar Springs Elementary.

Florey is originally from Birmingham, Ala., and attended college at Auburn University, but has lived in Meridian since 1970, when he came here to pursue a job as manager of Dickey Clay Manufacturing Company.

He has previously served two terms on the board of supervisors.

Like many politicians in our area, Florey says his top priorities in office will be economic development and workforce training.

“We need more, better-paying, jobs, and I plan to work closely with the board of supervisors, the city, and the EMBDC (East Mississippi Business Development Corporation) to get that,” Florey said, adding that he also plans to work closely with the state and national delegations and the governor to create manufacturing jobs for Lauderdale County.

Florey thinks the proposed Meridian Community College Workforce Training Center, which would be located at the old Wal-Mart building on Hwy. 19, will be a great asset to Lauderdale County’s job market and will help attract industries to our area.

When asked about his feelings about education at the high school level and below, Florey said, “I think education is important when it comes to workforce development,” and added that he likes the way the city is using its school bond funds.

Florey is proud of the hand he had, as part of the board of supervisors, in getting the Lauderdale County Detention Center built, and calls it his proudest achievement during his first two terms on the board.

“Our greatest asset is our people,” Florey said. “And I would like to thank all the people that helped me during my illness. I was overwhelmed with prayers and support”.

The new supervisors, Florey, who will represent District 1, and Wayman Newell, who will represent District 2, will be sworn in on the courthouse steps Sunday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. Newell declined an interview until after he officially begins his term on the board.

The final board of supervisors meeting this term is scheduled to take place Thursday, Dec. 13, at 11 a.m. in the Raymond P. Davis Courthouse Annex.