A few days ago, I attended the State of the County breakfast sponsored by Nabholz Construction and the Harrison Regional Chamber of Commerce. The UA Northark JPH Center was packed, with people standing along the sides. It was one of the best turnouts I can remember for an event like this.

As I listened to Interim Judge Mitchell Archer and other county elected officials discuss the work being done throughout Boone County, I thought about something that has been true throughout my time as Mayor: the relationship between the City of Harrison and Boone County has been better than ever.

We may have separate governments, separate budgets, and separate responsibilities, but we serve the same people. Harrison is a city, but Harrison is also part of Boone County. When something is good for one, it is more often than not good for the other.

Perhaps nowhere is that cooperation more evident than in law enforcement.

I have often said that Harrison doesn’t just have roughly 30 city police officers and the county doesn’t just have roughly 30 deputies. In many ways, we both have 60 officers working to protect all of us.

That cooperation begins at the top. Sheriff Roy Martin, along with Sheriff-elect Tim Roberson and Harrison Police Chief Chris Graddy, are respected colleagues. They trust one another and put community safety ahead of jurisdictional lines. Their departments communicate, assist one another, and work together whenever the situation requires it.

Something I have learned during my years as Mayor is that law enforcement officers generally don’t spend much time telling the public about everything they do. Much of their most important work never makes the news.

Yet our city and county officers have apprehended dangerous individuals passing through our community, led major drug investigations, and handled countless other cases most citizens will never know about. They continuously train for situations we hope will never happen, because if that day ever comes, they have to be prepared.

The same spirit exists with our other first responders.

Chief Mark Lowery and the Harrison Fire Department regularly work with county and volunteer fire departments when they request assistance. Harrison has specialized equipment and resources that some volunteer departments simply cannot have, and when they need our help, we are there. Likewise, departments throughout the county stand ready to help one another 

when circumstances demand it.

That is what being a community is supposed to look like.

I have also appreciated the cooperation I have received from county government itself. The county judge, Quorum Court, and other county elected officials have consistently treated me and the City of Harrison with respect. We haven’t always had exactly the same responsibilities or the same issues in front of us, but we have been able to sit down, communicate, and look for solutions that benefit the people we all represent.

Judge Mitchell Archer deserves special recognition. He stepped into the county judge’s office in April 2026 during a difficult period and accepted the responsibility of serving for the remainder of the year. From my perspective, he has addressed several matters that needed immediate attention and has worked to put the county in a strong position for Judge-elect Tyler Gentry when she takes office on January 1, 2027. Judge Archer constantly compliments Judge-elect Tyler Gentry by saying we now have two judges, and from working with Tyler, he could not be more correct. She will be a great asset going forward.  

Watching the two of them, I believe their different roles have complemented one another well during this transition.

Government works best when people aren’t worried about who gets the credit.

Over these past eight years, I have seen city employees, county employees, law enforcement officers, firefighters, elected officials, and first responders work across jurisdictional lines because something needed to be done. Most of those moments never make headlines, and that’s probably how the people involved prefer it.

But before I leave office, I want the public to know how much I have appreciated those relationships.

There will always be a City of Harrison government and a Boone County government, each with its own responsibilities. But at the end of the day, there is only one community.

And I am proud of how well we have worked together to serve our area.

Jerry Jackson moved to the community in 1980 and was voted Mayor in 2018. He ran and won re-election in 2022. Email info@harrisonar.gov to contact the mayor’s office.