Now that we’ve had a little break from the election season, and as a new year approaches, the swearing in of those who will take office in the new year has begun.

Already many local officials, including the mayor, city commissioners, magistrates, school members and others have been sworn in. Others will take their oath of office soon.

We want to congratulate each of these individuals who were elected, whether they are new to office or returning.   We look forward to working with each of them in the coming year.

As they each take their oath and prepare to fulfill their official duties, we hope their motives are pure and their goals are unselfish.

We ask that each of them keep in mind the promises they made while running for office, and serve each day with those ideas in mind.

We hope that each day they are in office, they ask themselves how they can be the best servant possible to their people who elected them.

It is also our wish that whatever negativity arose from the election season will be put aside and that officials will find ways to work well with not only the people on their respective boards, but with others as well. We hope to see city and county officials continue a long tradition of working well together for the good of the community as a whole.

These individuals have no easy task ahead of them, and we are grateful for their willingness to serve the people. We hope that each of them bring a sense of respect, transparency and open-mindedness to their office.