All of Covington County’s county commissioners were in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting, after two missed recent meetings due to illnesses.

Harold Elmore took time Wednesday to publicly thank people for praying for him.

“I’d like to say thank you for all the prayers sent up when I was in the hospital for a serious condition,” he said. “The phone calls and cards meant a lot. When you get down, if anybody will send a card, you appreciate those.

Elmore suffered complications from kidney stones.

“But the Lord answered prayers,” Elmore said. “I come mighty close to not being here, at least that’s what they say.”

Commissioner Carl Turman also was back after heart surgery.

“I didn’t come as close as Mr. Elmore,” he said. “I had aortic valve replacement. They had to do it in Birmingham. It was amazing; simply amazing. Two days later, I was going home.”