As Chair of the Douglas County Board of Commissioners, it is again my pleasure to celebrate May 1st as our nation’s ‘Law Day’ as declared by President Eisenhower, and submit a few comments on this year’s theme of: ‘Celebrating and Advancing the Rule of Law.’ 

This year’s theme is particularly exciting for me as it goes to the core of my beliefs – the importance of the role that local government plays.  Local government, meaning counties, cities, school boards, and the like, all play the vital role of being the ‘delivery system’, let’s say ‘where the rubber meets the road,’ for the Rule of Law.  And considering this, to me, there is a commitment we have to have as elected officials to do our best to accurately reflect the values, beliefs and priorities of all the people we serve. 

Local government does this, for example, by supporting robust public health and mental health services, facilitating accessible justice systems, ensuring accountability in community safety and law enforcement, providing a well-maintained transportation and utility infrastructure, committing to safe and well-performing schools and partnering for environmental stewardship – just to name a few!  Together we advance the ‘Rule of Law’ by listening to our taxpayers and community partners, and figuring out daily how to better assist our communities to grow, prosper, dialogue and enhance services to keep up with the goals of our communities.

Mary Ann Borgeson

Chair, Douglas County Board of Commissioners