Hall shows Yoder a day in the life of local government

As a Holmes County commissioner, Dave Hall is used to meeting with people, but on Tuesday, Sept. 26, he had the honor of meeting with someone who simply wanted to hang out for a day.

Hiland High School senior Alex Yoder contacted Hall as part of the school’s effort to have its seniors create a job-shadowing experience, and Yoder chose Hall because he felt inspired to see what a commissioner’s role entailed.

“Our guidance counselor requires all senior English students to job shadow someone of interest, and we are asked to dream big and find someone who inspires you,” Yoder said. “I chose to shadow Mr. Hall because of what he does from a leadership perspective as a commissioner. That really drew my interest.”

As a result Yoder accompanied Hall to a Holmes County LEPC meeting, accompanied Hall to WKLM radio, where they helped with a United Way fundraising effort to support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Station program, and then attended the Holmes County Extension Office’s biannual community meeting before Hall took him on a tour of the county offices, where they met up with many local government officials.

“My hope is to give Alex a little taste of what it’s like to be in county government and just present a day in the life of a Holmes County commissioner,” Hall said. “One thing I hope he recognizes is that all of this is a real team effort with input coming from many people.”

He used the LEPC’s meeting to flesh out details on the upcoming disaster exercise the county will undergo next spring. He said showcasing group planning and the willingness of caring people who want to do things the right way is important for young people to realize.

“If Alex takes away anything from today’s experience, I hope it’s that understanding of what people give back to this community and the opportunity of taking time to make the county the best it can be,” Hall said. “We have a unique county where many people are willing to step up and help at all times, be it good or bad.”

Yoder said he was honored to shadow Hall and felt the opportunity would help him grow in understanding not just county government, but also his own leadership qualities.

“I just want to see how things operate here in our county government and Mr. Hall’s role in all of it,” Yoder said. “I know he’s involved with so much around the county, and that type of leadership is worth understanding.”

Hall went on to talk about the importance of today’s young adults learning more about the civic part of their community. He said he has other students coming to shadow him, and it is exciting to see their willingness to learn more about how local government works.

Hall, who served as a Holmes County commissioner more than two decades ago before moving on to serve in a larger capacity in the state and nationally, said he returned to the commissioner role in Holmes County with the mindset he would be a bridge commissioner who would hold down the fort until a younger generation chooses to step in and take the reins.

“My hope is that one of these young people will come out of these job shadows and think to themselves, ‘I might want to do this someday,’” Hall said. “I’m hoping to inspire the next generation of leaders to come back to the county and serve. I would be honored to be a small part of the next generation of leaders.”

It took Hall’s wife Anita Hall, who is the Holmes County recorder, to remind him that 26 years to the very day Yoder was job shadowing him, he stood on the courthouse steps and announced he was running for county commissioner.

“Somebody inspired me, and hopefully myself or others can inspire today’s young people to serve,” Hall said.

Yoder said he is currently undecided as to where he will attend college or what he will pursue as a career, although he did say he will lean toward the business and finance world, perhaps in accounting.