Like any quality public servant, Dot McGee deflected praise from herself during a retirement party for her as Warren County Chancery Clerk. McGee, who gave all the credit for her success in the past 12 years as clerk to the other officer workers, officially will retire her post on Dec. 30, a day after newly elected Chancery Clerk Donna Farris Hardy takes office.

McGee along with Tax Assessor Richard Holland, who held that post for 16 years, will leave Warren County in the hands of new officials. Holland announced his retirement in February after 34 years in public service. We wish them both the best as the next chapter of their lives begins to unfold.

Experience, it is said, is the best teacher. And these two brought plenty of experience to the offices they served.

McGee has served as chancery clerk for the past 12 years, but for 11 years before that she served in the clerk’s office. Chancery clerks maintain all records for boards of supervisors and chancery court. Within that, statutory duties include recording board minutes, preparing the claims docket and county payroll, recording and storing deeds, land records and documents received from chancery court. Another function is to handle collection of property taxes after the tax collector sells property at tax sales.

She also spearheaded an effort to scan and computerize records from the chancery and circuit clerk offices. Many of those records are now available online.

In February, Holland announced that he would not be seeking a fifth term as tax assessor. He served for the past 16 years as tax assessor and 18 more in varying government positions before that. Holland began his career in the Hattiesburg tax assessor’s office in 1977 and has worked in tax assessor offices since. The loss of his years of experience in the job will be felt in this county.

But we have the highest confidence that, as we bid farewell to two stalwart, experienced members of the county government, the two filling their posts will conquer any challenges. Incoming Tax Assessor Angela Brown and Hardy will have big shoes to fill, but we are confident those shoes are being filled with qualified, competent officials.