By Rep. Sharon Tyler, R-Niles.

As many of you know, I will be leaving the House of Representatives to serve as the Berrien County clerk in January. It’s been a wonderful, honorable experience to serve as your representative from the 78th House District these past four years.

I wanted to take this opportunity to say a few words of thanks and to tell you how much I will always cherish this opportunity to serve the families of Southwest Michigan.

Please accept my sincere appreciation for the trust you placed in me as your state representative. It has been an honor to bring the values and opinions of the people of SW Michigan to the Capitol, where I have been able to ensure that our voices are heard and taken seriously when they relate to state policy matters.
I have met many of you over the years – whether it was during office hours or going door to door, serving on local committees or discussing what matters most in your communities and lives. I will always be in awe of the wonderful people I have met through this position who were willing to share their life experiences with me in order to make me a better legislator, and I am grateful for your engagement as citizens. Because of you, I have been able to do meaningful work that made a difference.

Thanks to my friends and family back home for their words of encouragement — I could not have served without the loyal support of so many family members, friends and neighbors.

Thank you also to my staff who have been able to find answers to numerous constituent questions over the years, coordinated schedules, helped me make sound decisions on policy and served as my eyes and ears when I could not be in two (or more) places at once.

It is with sadness that I leave the Legislature and the hardworking taxpayers of House District 78, but I look forward ensuring that people of Berrien County know their votes count.

My goal will be to continue to ensure our county government is run efficiently and effectively, and to use my experience in economic development and as a legislator to provide exceptional customer service so that all interactions with the county clerk’s office will be quick, easy and accurate.

As I’ve said in the past, we may disagree on the details, but we can all be thankful for the big picture  as Americans, casting a vote is an exciting way to participate in our democracy. That right is something we all must be grateful for.

I am proud of the reforms that have been made on my watch, and look forward to seeing our region, and the state of Michigan, flourish. Hope you have a very merry holiday season. See you in Berrien County next year!