BY TRACY LEE TATE
Special to the Times
On Monday night, Feb. 17, the Union County Board of Commissioners honored a recently retired commissioner for his years of service to the county and the many contributions he made during his 16 years as a commissioner.
Jimmy Tallman has been attending meetings since his retirement – he says it is a habit. His record of attendance at meetings bears this out, as the only meeting he missed during his four terms in service were just prior to his retirement and due to his hospitalization after a serious accident. His only other missed meeting was in November, the exact meeting where commissioners planned to honor him. Everything was tabled – put on hold – until the next meeting, which was shortened by threatening weather bringing icy roads, so it was tabled again. The whole recognition was supposed to be a surprise, and oddly, given Tallman’s reaction, it still was, after two months’ delay and at least 30 people knowing about it.
Tallman was called to the front by Board Chair Channing Dobbs during the meeting and told that the commission had a plaque for him commemorating his service. The plaque was read and given to Tallman, who then was asked to pose for a picture with the board. Before he was allowed to return to his seat, he heard the reading of a resolution to officially rename the Union County Agricultural Educational Building to the James A. Tallman Agricultural Education Building.
Tallman was instrumental in securing the grant funding to make the construction of the building possible and working through numerous problems encountered in the construction process. He has a history as both a commissioner and as a farmer, rancher and meat processor, of supporting the county’s young people and agriculture. The facility houses the UF/IFAS Extension offices, which provide 4-H to county youth, and serves as a home base for the activities for the Union County Livestock Association, which runs the fair activities annually.
Stated in the proclamation, “the Board of County Commissioners finds that it is fitting that the agricultural education center that began as Commissioner Tallman’s dream should bear his name.”
Tallman was obviously touched by the recognitions and posed again with the board members and Union County 4-H Extension Agent Meagan Daniel for another photo.
