Dalton Roberts was one of a kind, and thank goodness for it.
Hamilton County's first county executive, who served four terms and died Wednesday at the age of 82, was a dreamer, doer, philosopher and guitar picker, not necessarily in that order.
Unlike many of today's politicians - a term Roberts said didn't fit him - he spoke plainly, told you what he thought rather than couch it in weasel words and didn't mind suggesting something that may not work out.
He saw Hamilton County for what it could be - with an emphasis on education and economic development - and attempted to make it happen.
When Roberts left office, after serving from 1978 to 1994, the county had four industrial parks, the Trade Center (initially the Chattanooga-Hamilton County Trade Center), countywide ambulance service, better developed recreation areas and was in the process of acquiring the Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant property, now Enterprise South and the home of Volkswagen.
He was the right man at the right time, the first leader in a new form of government for the county that, together with the city of Chattanooga, was attempting to remake itself into the oft-honored place it is today.
Roberts, fortunately, never let his vocation curtail his avocation for music and songwriting, so the county executive was just as likely to turn up at a school, county fair or honky-tonk to display his talent.
Even after he retired, he still had a lot on his mind, and you were welcome to it. For years, he wrote a popular column for The Chattanooga Times and then this newspaper, discussing birds, tomatoes or the mistakes those currently in government were making.
With political parties too often divided into far left and far right camps today, we could use a few more individuals like Dalton Roberts, who thought less about party and more about what was best for his constituents.