For many in the public, the stereotype of a local elected officials can be that of someone having a cushy job, collecting a taxpayer salary while attending a meeting or two a month and not doing much.

While this may be the case for some, it is not what, in our coverage, we have seen in Lawrence County.

And it certainly not the case for Paul Hart.

In his nearly four decades of service to the Village of Chesapeake, there has been no question of Hart’s commitment to his position, with his work extending 24/7 and his efforts on behalf of the village being a continuous one, inside and outside of village hall.

Hart has always been on call to village residents in hearing their concerns and advocating on issues.

Never one to shy away from giving his opinion on matters before the village, Hart has, in his time in office, developed a wealth of knowledge on the workings of local and state government and was a reliable resource for Chesapeake’s residents in his council service. 

It goes without saying that his dedication to Chesapeake will also continue out of office, when his term expires at the end of the month.

Hart’s commitment to his community has extended outside his elected job, including work for civic organizations like the Lions Club. He also served for a time on The Tribune’s readers board, where he was always quick to offer his advice and opinion on how our coverage could best serve the public.

Last week, Chesapeake honored Hart for his long council tenure and service to the public.

We commend him for his extraordinary commitment to his home town and wish him the best in retirement.