My name is Sharla Davis, and I’m running for Gilmer County Tax Commissioner.
I have lived in Georgia for 45 of my 48 years. Five of those years have been here in Gilmer County. My husband and I consider our move here to be one of the best decisions we’ve made, besides marrying each other, of course (ha ha).
The area is beautiful and the people are exactly what we were looking for when we moved here — friendly, giving, courteous, welcoming and just all-around wonderful people and neighbors. We’ve made some great friends and look forward to many more years here and more friendships made.
I have 30 years of management, accounting and customer service experience in the automotive industry, working as controller/office manager for four of the top 10 automotive groups in the nation — receiving, processing, balancing and reporting millions of dollars, as well as overseeing accounting office procedures and managing the accounting staff, providing other department managers with information needed to manage and run their departments, managing expenses, overseeing proper collection of state sales taxes and federal payroll taxes and submitting said taxes to the proper entities, not to mention, handling the day-to-day issues that arise with any organization.
I also have experience working in the tax commissioner’s office when I was employed here in Gilmer County as the accountant for your current tax commissioner.
I am confident that my experience will facilitate a smooth transition into the public service position as your next tax commissioner.
I have one main goal which is to use my experience to create an environment in the tax commissioner’s office that will benefit all involved, from the employees to the residents of Gilmer County.
Employees are the face of any company, whether we’re discussing the consumer industry or a public service office. Employees are what I like to call “First Impression Specialists” and we all know that you only get one chance to make that first impression. The way to ensure that impression is a good one is to have content and knowledgeable employees. The way to achieve this is through competent management and time invested to properly and thoroughly train your employees. Confident, happy employees are the beginning to happy customers.
None of this can happen with high turnover which is expensive, not just monetarily but also in the time and resources needed to re-train replacements, not to mention the negative image it portrays to the customers to constantly see new faces.
I know I’ve talked a lot about business, employees and customers, and although the tax commissioner’s office is a public service office, it is still a business. The only difference is that you are not customers, and if you make me your next tax commissioner, you will not be treated like customers. You are friends and neighbors of this great place we all call home and will be treated as such.
Please vote May 19 for Sharla Davis — Gilmer County Tax Commissioner!