Earlier this week, County Commissioner Susan Baird had her final commission meeting as an elected member of the board. She’s stepping down from her District 4 seat, which is up for grabs on Election Day.
In honor of her final meeting on Tuesday, Commissioner Lee Pinkoson gave her a plaque and said a few words at the beginning of what ended up being a lengthy evening meeting. The room was packed with people who had come for the commission’s discussion on whether to close a portion of the Levy Loop Trail due to nearby residents’ concerns.
Pinkoson told the audience nobody understands how much you don’t know when you first take on the role of commissioner. It takes a lot of time and effort to get up to speed and become knowledgeable, he said, and Baird did that.
She also showed up to events for the local municipalities, which means something to them, and she did all of it while raising her daughter.
“That took a sacrifice — truly a sacrifice — in order to do this,” he told her. “We appreciate that.”
Pinkoson also acknowledged that Baird — a Republican commissioner on a board with a Democratic majority — was often out “on an island” by herself. She represented the people with a similar train of thought and did it graciously, he said.
He told Baird he was sure this wouldn’t be the last they’d see of her, which got a smile and a laugh from her.
When Baird stepped up to the podium to speak, she got a little emotional.
“That’s just me. I cry at everything. I cry at my own birthday party,” she told the crowd.
“But it is really nice. I have enjoyed it — sort of,” she said of her time on the commission. (That got quite a bit of laughter from the crowd.) “It has been a lot of work.”
Baird was also recognized for her service Thursday during the Alachua County Republican Party’s annual Ronald Reagan Black Tie and Blue Jeans BBQ.