FARMINGTON — Meldon Gilmore signed his last document as a Franklin County commissioner on Tuesday.

After the meeting, he took his name plate out of its holder and put it with his paperwork. He handed the keys to the courthouse and commissioner’s office over to his successor: Clyde Barker of Strong.

It’s been a good 16 years, Gilmore, of Freeman Township, said.

He has represented District 3 from the towns of New Vineyard to the Canadian border.

It’s a lot of area but not as much population, he said.

During his career he worked in the woods for a while before going into the carpentry profession in 1967. He is retired now.

Gilmore said he decided he would seek election to the Franklin County Commission after moving to Freeman Township from Kingfield, where he served as a selectman for about six years.

“I kind of missed (public service),” he said. “I liked just being involved, just knowing what is going on at the local level and where the money is going. You meet a lot of interesting people.”

There haven’t been a lot of changes in county government over the years, he said. In fact, he has served with the same board of commissioners, Gary McGrane of Jay and Fred Hardy of New Sharon.

“I’ve enjoyed working with them, very, very much,” Gilmore said.

He thanked the board and the county employees during the meeting, saying they were a good group of people to work with.

Both McGrane and Hardy thanked him for his service and wished him the best.

“Don’t be a stranger,” McGrane told him.

Gilmore, who has been married to his wife, Regina, for 45 years, doesn’t know what he’s going to do next.

“I don’t have a clue. Absolutely nothing for a while,” he said. “ I have enough projects at home for the next 20 years.”

dperry@sunjournal.com