(Editor’s note: Due to an error, two of the five candidate questionnaires for the Jackson County at large seats in the June 2 primary were in inadvertently left out of the print edition of Saturday’s Tribune. All five will appear in Monday’s edition of The Tribune.)
Why do you feel you are more qualified for this position than your counterparts?
I’m glad to see that voters have several good options to choose from this year. I have always been conservative in both my business and personal life. I’ve been a small business owner and an independent insurance agent for 19 years. I’ve worked hard to operate my business and home completely debt-free. I’ve learned a lot in my first term on the council and have been very active in engaging other officeholders and constituents to hear what people want and expect from our county council.
Are there any county services that need to be improved, adapted or eliminated?
There are always opportunities to adapt and improve services in our county. I believe we currently have a great group of elected officials and employees at the county that are working very well together for the good of our community. If something needs to be eliminated, I am only interested in what’s best for the county as a whole. There are two services that come to mind immediately. We decided to close a very inefficient juvenile detention center in the county, which resulted in substantial savings while partnering with other centers to house our juveniles. We also started the process of building a work release center in partnership with Jennings County. That facility will save taxpayers money but most importantly save lives.
How do you plan to make yourself more accessible to the public for comments if elected?
If I am re-elected, I plan to continue to build on the openness and accessibility from my first term. I have a Facebook page with more than 2,700 followers that I update frequently and respond to any and all questions. My phone number and email also are listed for anyone that would like to reach out to me with concerns or comments. We all need feedback and criticism in order to be good representatives in our community. I would love to see more people attend our meetings in the future.
What would you say to voters and taxpayers who feel as though their tax dollars are not being used to their maximum potential?
Our council meetings are open to the public, and I would encourage anyone that has an issue or suggestion to come and speak. We do not censor anyone, and if you take the time to come to a meeting, we will take the time to hear your concerns and have a discussion. Our agenda and meeting minutes are posted on the county website for anyone interested that can’t make it to a meeting.