BY TRACY LEE TATE
Special to the Times
Some records will be set at the next meeting (Tues. Nov. 19, 2024) of the Union County Board of Commissioners when Melissa Dukes McNeal takes her seat, filling the board’s District Three seat.
As far as the records go, she will be the first woman to fill that seat. Along with Donna Jackson (District One), she will be part of the first instance in which the board has had two female members.
Commissioners elected or reelected in the August Primary Election will all be sworn in at 2 p.m. in the board meeting room.
McNeal said she is looking forward to taking her place on the board. She had decided to run for the seat when she found out that the former holder of the District Three seat, veteran commissioner Jimmy Tallman, would not be running again.
“I knew Jimmy Tallman would be retiring and knew that with the changing times, I saw a need for someone to fill that seat who would work to preserve all the good things about our county – helping it grow and progress while staying true to our county’s roots,” McNeal said.
To prepare for her running for a position on the board, McNeal attended all of the meetings held in the past two years to learn the ropes and also to be informed of issues she would be walking into the middle of, as well as allowing her to be mentally prepared for her new role. She said she plans to be a full participant in the conducting of county business as it comes before the board during her first year, but also to spend time learning and researching matters involved with her new position. She added that she had never served as an elected official before and wanted to be sure she learned the finer details of serving her constituents and other county residents.
McNeal said the county needs managed and planned growth, especially in job creation. She said that one of her concerns in this area was the careful location of such businesses.
“Everywhere in the county is somebody’s home, their backyard, and growth cannot be allowed to affect their quality of life and lifestyle,” McNeal said.
The incoming commissioner, 34, is a seventh-generation Union County resident and a Union County High School graduate. She has been married to Tim for 15 years and has six children (three girls and three boys). She homeschools the children and owns a cut flower business, selling warm- and cool-season annuals. Her parents own and operate Dukes Family Farm adjacent to the flower farm, and McNeal also has duties in that operation.
Tim is a subcontractor and owner of Residential Window Solutions in Lake Butler. He installs and replaces windows and doors, primarily for the Pella Company but also for others.
McNeal said she is prepared for a busy schedule, adding her commission duties to her other responsibilities as a mother and entrepreneur. Still, she said meeting the needs of Union County voters will be her priority.
The McNeal family attends Harmony Free Will Baptist Church and Melissa and Tim are heavily involved in the church’s youth programs. They are also active in Union County 4-H and county sports with their children.
