Our county's mayor worked the room after a political setback in a long career in the public eye.
"I want to tell you something," Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger said between handshakes and well-wishes after Hamilton County commissioners balked at a 34-cent property tax rate increase for schools in a 5-4 vote.
"Beyond the tax increase, I think the most important thing we could accomplish in this is making sure everyone knows that we have to come together and support education.
"We have to."
Coppinger's sentiment was spot-on. He pushed his political chips to the middle of the table, even using the popular poker reference "I'm all in" for this tax increase.
Four commissioners had voted to remove the tax increase from the budget when Commissioner Greg Martin, the last uncommitted voice behind the dais, joined them. There were groans from the large number of people in the audience, and Martin eloquently explained his position.
Jay Greeson"My vote was not an easy one," Martin, a former school board member, said. "Raising property taxes is not the only solution to this challenge.
"I stand ready to be a part of this important dialogue. I look forward to hearing back from the school board on how we can begin the discussion on addressing our long-term public education needs."
Everyone in the commission chamber should feel encouraged by the words, actions and energy - even if the pro-tax side was not overjoyed with the outcome - from Wednesday's vote.
First, it was government done right.
Coppinger led and followed what he believed.
The commissioners - all of them - voted based on their beliefs, and what I believe to be their constituents' desires.
Secondly, from Coppinger's review to the impassioned speech from school board member Joe Smith to the pleas from Commissioner Chip Baker and other commissioners, we should seize this chance.
Because it's not the end of the road for the Hamilton County Department of Education. In fact, this may be the springboard.
By all measures - including a slew of glowing testimonials Wednesday - Dr. Bryan Johnson has convinced a lot of folks that he is the guy to lead our school system to where we all want to be.
That journey is not only made with tax dollars. It's made with the efforts of the folks in Brainerd taking time to refurbish Brainerd High School. It's helped by local churches, civic groups and communities that find ways to support the needs of those kids who do not have what they need to succeed in school.
It was part of the rallying cry for the future that started Wednesday.
The school district's request was denied, so now it will have to rework its request.
And here's hoping the reworked budget focuses on some of the simple things that were viewed as positive steps.
In fact, here's a starting point:
» Keep the teacher raises in your next pitch. Even as a conservative, like Coppinger, I believe Dr. Johnson has earned a little extra wiggle room. I've never been a fan of across-the-board raises, that's likely a matter for the teachers union, but I am in favor of teachers' pay increases to make sure we are competitive and keep the truly special people who work with our children.
» Check every special-needs box that needs to be addressed.
» Of the 350 new positions, well, prioritize that list and realize that a wish list is just that.
» Realize that a whole lot of the fiscally conservative people in this county are not anti-student, and that the real questions about the next five years with the upcoming facilities report simply can't be ignored. The timing was awkward, for sure, considering that report is going to call for solutions in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
And the Hamilton County Commission can help this extended conversation, too. Meet the school board in the middle and figure out a way that retired taxpayers are not on the hook for this. The decision should not be education needs vs. electric bills.
Go back to work, Dr. Johnson, and be the resilient leader your supporters have proclaimed you to be. Make the most of Coppinger's belief in you.
And if that refiguring comes with a smaller tax increase, then I hope we all are 100 percent willing to discuss that.
The challenge is great, there is no doubt. But I believe we can find a way to make it work, because as our county mayor said, "We have to."
Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.