They’ve already started their training in Athens and they’ve been more than interested observers at the last few county commission meetings.

Starting Jan. 6, Dusty Zeigler and Bob Brantley will be on the dais with their fellow Effingham County commissioners, after they took their oaths of office Tuesday afternoon in the Treutlen Courtroom.

“I’m ready,” said Zeigler, who will assume the seat as the first countywide-elected chairman.

Said Brantley: “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

Zeigler and Brantley have taken part in sessions conducted by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia.

“And there’s more throughout the year to go,” Zeigler said.

Brantley and Zeigler not only delved into what county commissioners need to know about how to do their job, they also talked with many of the other newly-elected commissioners from around the state. They found out just how tough things are elsewhere in the Peach State.

“I think Effingham is in pretty good shape,” said Brantley, who succeeds the retiring Hubert Sapp as the 1st District commissioner. “The Athens trip was very enlightening, just to hear all the problems around the state. It was enlightening and scary.”

Studying the agenda ahead of time and figuring out where the sticky issues might be will be paramount for Zeigler.

Brantley added there are plenty of issues ahead for the commissioners, and he praised the current group for the way it has conducted the county’s business.

“I think they’ve done a great job,” he said. “I hope we continue to do a great job.