Wellness & Safety

Reflections of the last 10 years

My 10-year anniversary at the Association of Arkansas Counties is June 4. It is hard to believe that 10 years have come and gone in what seems like the blink of an eye. During my time here we have had three presidents and two governors. The AAC went through a major addition to our building, giving us tons of new space. But now, our staff has increased to the point that we could soon outgrow the space we have. In 10 years, we have seen a lot of changes in our country, our state, and at the AAC.

I started working at the AAC after teaching in Arkansas schools for 27 years. I did not know what I was in for, but I was ready to take on a new challenge. I began by attending the June Association meetings so I could meet my new county family. I traveled to quite a few counties educating Volunteer Firefighters about the Safer Grant Program. Then came August and my first AAC Annual Conference. In some ways I felt like I had been thrown in the deep end in that first three months, but I had so much fun getting to know all the county people we work with.

My position and what I do has evolved with time. I am proud of many things I have done, but there are a few that really stand out for me. When I started at the AAC, Executive Director Chris Villines asked me to find businesses willing to give county government employees discounts on goods and services. I was not sure where to start, but I dove in headfirst. Some people may not see this program as a big accomplishment. However, I cannot tell you how much joy it gives me when people have emailed or sent me notes saying how much a discount meant to them. One note will stand out in my mind for as long as I live. A lady emailed me to tell me that she had not been able to afford to take her children on a vacation in eight years, but the discount we have for Silver Dollar City was going to make it possible for her to take them to Branson and have some fun. There are times when the things we do in our jobs may not seem like much. A phone call here, an email there, a few words in passing. Nevertheless, the things we do matter to someone.

When I began working at the AAC, I had just been on the TV show “The Biggest Loser.” So, health and fitness had become a new passion of mine. One of the things I have done through different avenues is to remind the county family how important it is to take care of themselves. We had County Biggest Loser competitions in which hundreds of pounds were lost. We had step competitions with a traveling trophy. We even received a Blue&You grant to purchase pedometers for our step participants. I have written numerous articles for this magazine about physical health, as well as mental health. I have been honored to speak at many of the Association meetings through the years about diet and exercise. We even added the Wellness Walk to the AAC Annual Conference agenda. I have been incredibly blessed to be able to share the health and fitness journey of so many folks in our county family.

My connection to GuardianRFID also has evolved. GuardianRFID is an inmate monitoring system used in many county jails. This program has put me in touch with the amazing team from Guardian on one side and the outstanding corrections staffs in county jails on the other side. Many would not think this to be an enviable position, but you would be wrong. I started out contacting jails and getting them onboard with the program. As the program developed, my role changed and grew. The team from Guardian have a passion for corrections officers and the work they do. Almost all of them have worked in corrections in various capacities for many years. They want our county jail staffs to do the best job possible. They train them, work with them, take phone calls all hours of the day and night to help them. Since I have no background in corrections, they have been patient with me and my questions. They have taken me under their wing and made me a part of their family. I could not be prouder to be associated with our Guardian team. On the other side of the coin is our county jail correction staffs. These folks work tirelessly, putting up with unimaginable things, and they are underpaid for what they do. But they come to work every day to keep their inmates, coworkers, and community safe. The GuardianRFID system is designed to streamline their job with technology, make what they do more defensible in court, and make sure they all go home at the end of their shift. These men and women also have a passion for what they do and most want to do the best job possible. One of the things I do for them is keep them apprised of their compliance numbers and help them, if I can, to increase that compliance. They do not always like hearing from me. I am a mom of four and a former teacher. I understand the concept of tough love. Sometimes it is tough. However, I have the utmost respect and love for those in corrections and what they must do. I am blessed to be able to work with them.

The last couple of years has changed the way we work — work from home, Zoom meetings, 6-feet of distance, and air high fives to name a few. We have, as we say in education, “monitored and adjusted.” I would say we all did a pretty good job of taking care of the things that needed to be done and the people that we serve. Bravo to the 75 counties of Arkansas and the AAC. Moving forward, I am not sure we will ever completely go back to the way things were before COVID. I believe it is a bell that cannot be unrung. However, I also believe that the resilience of our county and AAC folks has shined in many ways. I look forward to seeing what the next 10 years will bring to us all.

Becky Comet AAC Member Benefits Manager