Arnelia “Shay” Johnson (center) being sworn-in as Revenue Commissioner, by Circuit Clerk, Veronica Morton-Jones; Ariyanna Johnson holds Bible for her mother.
On Thursday, September 30, 2021, Arnelia “Shay” Johnson was sworn-in as Revenue Commissioner for Greene County, a position over the appraisal, assessment and collection of ad valorem property taxes for the county.
Johnson was elected to the position in the November 2020 General Election but her four-year term does not begin until October 1, 2021, to coincide with the fiscal/tax year. She succeeds Barbara McShan, who held the position for the past six years.
Johnson worked in the appraisal and assessment part of the office for many years, so she is knowledgeable and familiar with the role she will play as Revenue Commissioner, heading the office which brings in a substantial part of the tax revenues coming to Greene County.
At the inauguration ceremony, Marilyn Sanford was the Mistress of Order, Roshonda Summerville, Chair of the Greene County Commission offered a welcome and Rev. Kevin L. Cockrell gave an invocation. Rev. John Kennard, a former Greene County Tax Assessor, before the positions of Assessor and Collector, were merged into one position as Revenue Commissioner, introduced the new Revenue Commissioner.
Circuit Clerk, Veronica Morton Jones, administered the oath of office to Arnelia “Shay” Johnson. Ariyanna Johnson, the new Commissioner’s 15 year- old daughter held the Bible, which was used to swear in her mother.
After the oath, Johnson thanked her family and friends for their support, including John Cockrell, her campaign manager, who passed away since the election. “I am here to give service to the people of Greene County. I will have an open-door policy, if you need to see me to ask a question or voice a concern, I will be available to assist you,” said Johnson.
At the conclusion of his introductory remarks, Rev. John Kennard said, “She will have to be tough, to fight for what is right; she will have to be tender, to love; she will be human and make mistakes; she will have the humility to admit her mistakes; and she will need resilience, to keep moving forward.”