Commissioner Alana Sanders

06/01/2026

Thank you, Eric Stokes for Hosting your annual community day in your hometown in Newton County. This was amazing.

05/29/2026

Why can’t your commissioner just fix it?

In this Teachable Moment, my team breaks down what commissioners can and cannot do under Newton County’s enabling legislation.

Commissioners set policy, vote on budgets, and represent the people. The county manager handles day to day operations and supervises departments.

Understanding the difference matters because knowing the process helps you know who is responsible.

Watch, listen, and share.

Teachable Moment with Alana Sanders

Know your government. Know the process.

05/29/2026

Why can’t your commissioner just fix it?

In this Teachable Moment, my team breaks down what a Vice Chair and commissioners can and cannot do under Newton County’s enabling legislation.

Commissioners set policy, vote on budgets, and represent the people. The county manager handles day to day operations and supervises departments.

Understanding the difference matters because knowing the process helps you know who is responsible.

Watch, listen, and share.

Teachable Moment with Alana Sanders

Know your government. Know the process.

05/29/2026

Why can’t your commissioner just “fix it”?

In this episode of Teachable Moment with Alana Sanders, my team breaks down one of the biggest misunderstandings in local government: what commissioners can and cannot do under Newton County’s enabling legislation.

Many residents believe commissioners can directly tell department directors what to do, manage staff, or personally fix every issue. But the law creates a clear structure. Commissioners set policy, vote on budgets, approve ordinances, and represent the people. The county manager handles day to day operations and supervises county departments.

So who really has the authority?

Who runs county departments?

What can commissioners legally do?

And why does understanding the process matter?

This conversation breaks it all down in plain language so residents can better understand how county government really works.

Watch, listen, share, and stay informed.

Teachable Moment with Alana Sanders

Know your government. Know the process.

05/29/2026

Teachable Moment with Hon. Alana Sanders

Do commissioners have the right to tell directors what to do or run county departments?

In Newton County, the answer is no.

According to Newton County’s enabling legislation, the Board of Commissioners is the legislative and policy making body of the county. That means commissioners vote on policy, budgets, ordinances, resolutions, contracts, zoning, and the overall direction of county government.

However, the enabling legislation also makes it clear that the Board shall not enter into administrative acts. It states that commissioners should not contact county employees about their duties, work habits, or request services or actions from employees except through the county manager.

That is important.

A commissioner can ask questions and request information needed to do their job, but an individual commissioner should not give orders to directors, supervise employees, manage departments, or try to run county operations.

Newton County operates under a county manager form of government. The county manager is responsible for day to day operations, supervising staff, overseeing departments, and making sure county business is handled properly and efficiently.

Here is the simple breakdown.

Commissioners set policy.

The Board acts as a body through votes.

The county manager handles operations.

Department directors report through the administrative structure, not to individual commissioners.

When everyone stays in their proper role, government runs better, employees are protected, and the public has clearer accountability.

Civic education matters because people deserve to understand how local government really works.

Stay connected for more simple breakdowns that make government easier to understand.

[www.RepSanders.com](http://www.RepSanders.com)

Hon. Alana Sanders is a public servant and educator running for State Representative in House District 113, committed to accountable leadership.!

05/29/2026

Teachable Moment with Hon. Alana Sanders

Topic: How Does a Bill Become a Law?

Laws do not just appear overnight. There is a process that allows ideas to be reviewed, discussed, debated, changed, and voted on before they can become law.

Here is the simple version:

First, a bill is introduced. That means someone puts the idea into writing and officially submits it.

Next, the bill is reviewed and discussed. This may happen in committee, where leaders study the details, hear concerns, and make changes.

Then, the bill is voted on. If it passes, it may move to another chamber for more review and another vote.

Finally, if it is approved, it can be sent to the governor or the appropriate executive leader to be signed into law.

Real life example:
If residents are concerned about unsafe roads, housing issues, school funding, or community safety, lawmakers may introduce a bill to address that concern. But before it becomes law, it has to go through the process.

Your voice matters because public input can shape what happens before a final vote is taken.

Stay informed. Ask questions. Follow the process. That is how we build stronger communities and better government.

05/28/2026

Secretary Raffensperger Announces Audit of May 19th General Primary and Nonpartisan Election

05/28/2026

Let’s make this simple. The mayor and city council do not all have the same powers in every city. The city charter explains what the mayor can do, what the council can do, whether the mayor has veto power, and if the mayor can break a tie.

For counties or other government bodies, the authority may come from state law, local acts, or enabling legislation. That is why it is important to read the actual governing document before assuming who has power.

Watch the video for the full breakdown, because this is a teachable moment many people need to understand.

05/27/2026

Topic: Board of Education vs. County Commission

Teachable Moment with Hon. Alana Sanders

Let’s do a quick civic check.

When someone has a concern about schools, roads, zoning, taxes, trash, buses, school safety, or county services, do you know who handles what?

A lot of people mix up the Board of Education and the County Commission, but they have very different responsibilities.

The Board of Education focuses on the public school system.

That includes school district policies, the school system budget, and hiring and evaluating the Superintendent. The Superintendent is the person responsible for the daily operations of the school system.

Simple way to remember it:
1. Board of Education means schools.
2. Now let’s talk about the County Commission.
3. The County Commission focuses on county government and county services.

That includes county policies, the county budget, zoning decisions, roads, public works, county facilities, and many services residents use every day.

Simple way to remember it:

County Commission means county government and county services.

Here is where it gets important.

If your concern is about a school policy, school budget, school leadership, or the school system, that is usually a Board of Education issue.

If your concern is about county roads, zoning, county departments, county services, or the county budget, that is usually a County Commission issue.

Now let’s make this interactive.

Drop a concern in the comments and let’s see if it belongs with the Board of Education or the County Commission.

Example:

School calendar

Road paving

Zoning

School discipline policy

County budget

Bus routes

Trash convenience centers

School leadership

Knowing the difference helps residents ask the right questions, contact the right office, and understand who is responsible for the decisions being made.

Stay connected for more teachable moments as we break government down in a way that is easy to understand.