At Monday’s Dallas County Commission meeting, Dallas County Health Department assistant area administrator Ashvin Parikh was described as an institution.

For more than 20 years, a tenure that will end when August begins, Parikh has been loved and respected by his peers.

For more than 30 years, Parikh has called Selma home.

People who are not from the Black Belt generally do not spend this amount of time in the region. However, Parikh said Dallas County is, and always will be, dear to his heart.

In his position, Parikh has shown a passion for the people he serves through the clinics he conducted all over the Black Belt.

He has also worked with Sowing the Seeds of Hope to offer tips on how to create healthy meals. In everything he has done, Parikh has given 100 percent.

There is little doubt there were several opportunities Parikh could have taken through the years, likely in higher paying positions. However, he remained loyal to the people he serves — his extended family.

The Dallas County Commission presented Parikh with a proclamation expressing their gratitude for all the work he has done.

But words cannot express how grateful we all are for his service.

Parikh will be tough to replace, and he will be deeply missed by those who worked beside him.w

His coworkers said they could always count on his smiling face to lighten up even the toughest days.

Parikh has been more than just a co-worker and supervisor to those who knew him professionally. He has been a friend.