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Former Delegate Mike Ferro Takes Seat on Marshall County Commission

The Marshall County Commission met briefly Tuesday morning, with new commissioner Mike Ferro taking his spot at the table.

Ferro defeated former commissioner Bob Miller in November by more than 1,700 votes, and was sworn in before the new year. Ferro, who served as a delegate at the state level for the last 10 years, said the change of scale was a pleasant one.

Ferro took his place alongside commission President Scott Varner and Commissioner John Gruzinskas.

“To bring it down, now, to the local level pleases me,” Ferro said. “There’s only three of us, whereas there were a hundred people I had to deal with in Charleston.”

Ferro did not say that he had any specific agenda for his first weeks other than getting his bearings and learning how the commission handled business — which he pointed out was much more personal.

“I want to kind of feel my way through, learn the process. Even though I’ve been in state government, this is a little different than that, and learn exactly how they do things here,” he said.

Having been a former teacher at Sherrard Junior High and coach at Sherrard and John Marshall High School, Ferro said he was happy to continue his work closer to home.

“It’s still public service,” he said. “After 10 years, I wanted to bring my service home to Marshall County. … Marshall County’s very important to me. I still substitute. The kids, the people, the senior citizens, volunteers, first responders — they’re all very important to me.”

In official business, the commission approved the rules for conducting commission meetings and the 2019 schedule. Also, the commission approved $3,500 in funding for the Night to Shine event, to be held in February.

The event, which serves as a prom night for people with special needs, had an increase in participants last year, which assistant coordinator Lori Mason said necessitated additional resources to accommodate, including another limousine.

“We try to keep all of our purchasing as local as we can,” Mason said. “Bob’s Lunch will be catering for over 500 people. The local funeral homes assist us with the limousines. … We give them everything from hair, makeup, shoe shining, to the red carpet.”

The event, sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation, is now in its fourth year, and is funded locally by donations. Mason said the event is expected to be self-sustaining in its fifth year.

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