Dave Teeter and Doug Lensing wrapped up their first year as county commissioners on Dec. 30 by discussing plans for 2022 during a meeting at the Montgomery County Courthouse.

One of those plans is making improvements at the courthouse such as upgrading the heating and cooling system and fixing the roof.

“They’re going to take some before and after pictures so we’ll be able to show people this is where we started and this is where we finished,” said Teeter, 1st District Commissioner. “That will be a big plus when the project is over. Anytime you spend money, people will wonder what bang do I get for my buck.”

A company called Veregy will help with the courthouse project. Veregy, which is based in Phoenix, Ariz., specializes in major building projects in schools and county courthouses and makes them more energy efficient.

“Part of what they bring to the table is they find federal and state funds and help offset the costs of replacing those items,” said Lensing, 2nd District Commissioner. “They look for grants, they look for low interest loans and things to help offset that. Hopefully, we’ll get an upgraded heating and cooling system and save some money in the process.”

Teeter said another mission for 2022 is to get more retail businesses in the county.

“It will give people opportunities to spend here locally versus going out of town whether it’s groceries and home goods,” Teeter said. “Those are things we like to see happening.”

The county commissioners got a chance to reflect on 2021 during the meeting. Teeter said working as county commissioner for 12 months was a pleasant experience.

“People have asked me for the last few weeks, ‘How are you liking it?’ and ‘How it’s been?’ I’ve been working with the public all of my life, working for the schools and working for different types of public entities,” Teeter said. “It’s very similar. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed meeting a lot of people I had not known very well. I look forward to next year. Hopefully, it will be an even better year. I look forward to doing some construction projects here at the courthouse. That will be exciting to see how that plays out.”

Teeter said he and Lensing had plenty of learning to do since they became county commissioners on Dec. 31, 2020.

“We had to get used to figuring out the processes and the procedures in the way funding goes,” Teeter said. “When you make a budget, you’re crossing your fingers because when you’re planning on revenue, you have no real idea on how it is going to come in until the year progresses. So that’s been a pleasant situation this year versus past years. Revenue has been better this year than some in the past years when they struggle to make ends meet. We haven’t had much of a problem with that as we had in the past.”

Teeter said the year 2021 was a good one for the county despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Events such as the Montgomery County Fair and the Old Threshers Show returned after they were cancelled in 2020 and residents spent more money on local businesses.

“There are some positive things out there that bring smiles to a lot of peoples’ faces,” Teeter said. “Several counties would love to be in our position. No. 1, our location is good for businesses and different things. Also, we’ve got a lot of small job opportunities for companies that people can work in our county.”