Letter to the Editor

Grayson County Sheriff Tom Watt was recently recognized by receiving the Texas Association of Counties Risk Management Pool Award for the Northeast region of Texas.

The TAC Risk Management Pool (TAC RMP) Awards Program rewards and recognizes member counties and governmental entities for their commitment to controlling claims costs and developing and improving safety and loss control programs. Some require submission of applications. TAC RMP has presented these awards for more than a decade.

Sheriff Watt is the former chief of police in Sherman, and he has been in law enforcement his entire adult life. He served on the Sherman force for 31 years, the last eight as the chief.

Elected as sheriff in 2016, he worked with the retiring sheriff to become acclimated with county operations before he was sworn in. Watt immediately implemented weekly policy review meetings to ensure all the agency's policies and procedures were correct, up to date and followed.

With his extensive law enforcement and administrative background, he recognized the importance of a collaborative approach to operating successfully and within budget. His agency and staff maintain a positive working relationship with the news media, the community, other elected officials, department heads and employees.

Sheriff Watt proactively works with TAC Risk Management Services when starting new programs by inquiring about coverage and liability implications. Driver safe-

Grayson County Sheriff Tom Watt

ty claims were addressed with trainings, awareness, and the utilization of the TAC RMP driving simulators in 2019. Safety, training and fit for duty are extremely important to the Sheriff’s Office, and that emphasis has resulted in fewer claims in workers’ compensation and in zero paid lawenforcement-liability claims.

Sheriff Watt and his team in Grayson County are truly making a difference, and we appreciate everything they do to keep all of us safe and protected.

The Making a Difference Award is earned by an individual who exhibits strong leadership in promoting risk control efforts within the workplace and is not limited to safety activities. Candidates for the award dedicate themselves to the mission of risk control, show creativity and lead others to risk management success within their organization. The Making a Difference Award is open to any employee of a member county whose actions truly deserve high praise.

Voting by mail should replace voting at the polls in its entirety. The two institutions that can definitely be trusted is the County Board of Elections and the United States Postal Service. The money saved by eliminating the need for poll workers could be used to offer free postage on the envelopes used to vote by mail. The person voting would also have more time to consider what they are voting for and would not be confined to the hours of the polling place. It would also prevent unwanted entry to schools and churches from anyone trying to harm someone. In addition, the voter would not be harassed by someone trying to place unsolicited campaign literature into their hand. The additional revenue would boost the Postal Service and perhaps keep it afloat until we as a country are able to vote online. Voting by mail would solve the registered voter problem and guarantee safe passage of the ballots to the County Board of Elections. It might even prevent further spread of the Covid-19 Virus.

Joe Bialek 4233 River Ridge Drive Cleveland, OH 44109 216744-8352

Response from the editor:

The voting by mail idea is a last ditch effort to impede in the election. Absentee voting is one thing, but mass mail-in voting without signatures and voter ID is a complete way to manipulate the system. The Democrat party will prop up the USPS as the great ticket for their vote. But when it doesn’t go their way, they will blame it all on the great USPS. Watch on Jan. 20, 2021.