Crawford.

Lowery.

Turner.

For the upcoming Nov. 5 election, The Tribune asked the three at-large county council Republican candidates (Amanda Cunningham Lowery, Brett Turner and John Nolting) and one Libertarian at-large county council candiate (Stephen Crawford) six questions. Incumbent John Nolting did not return the questionaire.

Early voting is still available at the Jackson County Public Library at 303 W. Second St. in Seymour on Sat., Nov. 2 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Mon., Nov. 4 from 8 a.m. to noon.

What is the most pressing issue facing Jackson County, and how do you plan to address it?

Stephen Crawford: “I think it’s pretty wild the amount of tax abatements we give to factories that are predominantly foreign-owned, and then the local taxpayer is expected to foot the bill for the imported workforce these same factories have recruited. My solution to this is to give tax abatements to everyone. Put in a new stove? Have a tax abatement. Cut down a dead tree? Tax abatement. Need a new hairpiece? You guessed it, tax abatement. If companies can get a break for doing routine stuff, Jackson County citizens should too.”

Amanda Cunningham Lowery: “In Jackson County, the most pressing issue we face is finding a way to strike a balance between impactful growth without overburdening our taxpayers. We must ensure that we grow in a way that is proactive, while also enhancing our roads, bridges, schools, court systems and the county departments funded by the council. We must ensure that our infrastructure is well-maintained and able to support growth. We must support our court systems, county offices and emergency services to meet the needs of Jackson County effectively.

The strain on these resources and services is at a level we haven’t seen previously and new challenges arise daily. We must be mindful of the impact of growth and how it impacts our taxpayers. Any growth we experience must be sustainable without putting undue burdens on the hardworking people in Jackson County. We must lead the way to find a plan that prioritizes both the safety of our community and the well-being of its residents. This includes investing in our law enforcement agencies by providing them with the resources and training they need to effectively combat crime and working with our school systems to foster an environment that promotes academic excellence and prepares our children for successful futures.

We are facing a huge challenge from the growth Jackson County has experienced in recent years. We must strive to keep Jackson County the best-and safest-place for our future generations to want to stay to live, work and raise their families.”

Brett Turner: “Rising cost. We as a council face the squeezing of tax-payer dollars more and more as we continue to pay our employees a fair wage while keeping the county in good financial condition. This is a challenge that I see will continue for the foreseeable future. Every decision I’ve made over the last four years as a council member has been made while looking toward what that may mean five and ten years from now. Determining where to get the most value for every dollar is not an exact science, but we do have a council now made up of like-minded stewards who do our very best to predict the future.”

What are your personal goals for the office?

Stephen Crawford: “I guess I’d like to have a big TV in there. “

Amanda Cunningham Lowery: “As a member of the Jackson County Council, I would encourage my fellow council members to continue to manage our finances responsibly, to seek out opportunities to work with local businesses and organizations to forge strategic partnerships, and to think outside the box to find innovative solutions to tackle the challenges we are facing. I am also committed to continuing to work on the county pay scale. I have worked on the council’s salary study committee over the last two years, and I am proud of the progress we have made to keep the wages of our county employees competitive.

Our county employees are the spokes in the wheel that keep the county rolling, and we want to be able to retain and recruit the best people to fill our positions. We still have work to do, and I am hopeful that I can be a part of continuing that process.”

Brett Turner: “As a public servant, as I have been for the past four years, I feel that my personal feelings must take a back seat to what’s best for the county and its citizens as a whole. Often, I reach out to my fellow Jackson Countians in order to elicit various thoughts and opinions about issues the council faces. There is no doubt that my own personal feelings are involved as well, but those cannot interfere with what’s best for Jackson County over-all. Personally, my goal is to keep Jackson County healthy and once my role as a council member ends be willing to live under the rules I helped set as a council member.”

Do you differ from your party in any specific issues?

Stephen Crawford: “The national party’s plank on free trade and migration is a bit utopian in my view.”

Amanda Cunningham Lowery: “I can’t say that I do. I am a proud supporter of the Republican Party platform.”

Brett Turner: “No doubt there are differences of opinion within any entity and the Republican Party is no different. I do pride myself on listening to what other political parties propose in order to gain a different perspective. But after weighing what I feel and in fact what the majority of Jackson County feels, I end continuing to agree with my party’s platform. The short answer is no, I have no specific issues of which I feel the Republican Party is wrong.”

Why should Jackson County residents vote for you?

Stephen Crawford: “If you’re tired of having only one party on the ballot for local office in almost every election, vote for me. If not, I personally know Brett Turner and John Nolting to be good people. And I’m sure Amanda Lowery would do a fine job too.”

Amanda Cunningham Lowery: “I hope that Jackson County has been pleased with the work I have done during my time on council and cast their vote for me to allow that to continue. I bring my experience as an elected official, and also a unique perspective, having been an elected official sitting on one side of the table, asking council to approve the budget needs of the different offices I have overseen, to being a member of the body making the decision on how to meet the budget needs of the county’s offices. I bring a strong working relationship with the elected officials and employees in Jackson County.

We have many intelligent, hard-working individuals working together in a great team effort, and I am proud to be part of that team. I bring a solution-oriented approach and a dedication to doing what is right for all of Jackson County, even when we are faced with making tough decisions. I am conservative and committed to ensuring fiscal responsibility in how our county operates, making sure every tax dollar is spent wisely. I am a wife, a mom, and a taxpayer myself, and I am committed to do the work to deliver success. I want to help Jackson County lead the way with common sense and innovative solutions to secure the future of our county.”

Brett Turner: “I feel that I have an ability to weigh out every issue with an eye toward what’s going to be best for the majority and act appropriately upon that. That has been my approach as a council member for the past four years and will continue to be the path I pursue. Gaining a citizen’s vote is an honor that I do not take lightly. If I am fortunate enough to get a vote, then I can promise that I will weigh the issues carefully before making a decision.”

What prompted you to run for at-large county council?

Stephen Crawford: “Todd Rokita was a big inspiration. I read about some of the things he’s done as attorney general and figured if a guy like that could win that high an office, surely I could give county council a shot.”

Amanda Cunningham Lowery: “It has been an honor to serve Jackson County since I first ran for office in 2010. I served two terms as county clerk (2011-2018), one term as county recorder (2018-2022) and then I began serving as an at-large member of the Jackson County Council on January 1, 2023. Council has been a unique experience and very different from other elected positions I have held. I feel like I bring a unique perspective to council with the knowledge I gained about county operations from my time as clerk and recorder. I’ve learned a lot in my first two years on council and I’m proud of the work we’ve done. We have a really great group of people on council who are committed to always keeping the best interests of the taxpayer at the forefront of our decisions and it would be an honor to continue to serve.”

Brett Turner: “My desire to serve and to see Jackson County grow but with conservative economic oversight. I’ve felt that I’ve helped accomplish that over the past four years and will continue to do so if I am elected again.”

How do you involve yourself in the Jackson County community?

Stephen Crawford: “I’ve coached 5^th grade basketball at Brownstown for the last three years. I was also recently the statistician for the Medora Timberjacks for a couple years. And I’m the treasurer of the Jackson County Libertarian Party.”

Amanda Cunningham Lowery: “I am grateful to have been born and raised here, to be raising my own family here, and I hope that future generations of my family continue to call Jackson County home. I am proud of our conservative values, our firm faith-based foundation, our strong work ethic and our community spirit. I do my best to share my time and talents with anyone who needs them.

I serve on the Fort Vallonia Days Festival Committee and we just wrapped up our 55^th festival a few weeks ago. I serve as the emcee for the Medora Goes Pink baby contest each year (I think we decided at this year’s contest that I have been emceeing this for over 10 years now). It’s been my pleasure to be a part of the Jackson County Watermelon Festival/Rock the Rind for two years now as the food vendor chairman. I am a graduate of Leadership Jackson County and currently serve as a board member. I’m part of a great group of Jackson County Women, formerly the Jackson County 50 CHICKS, and now “Ladies Who Lunch”, who gather for lunch once a quarter and bestow a financial gift to organizations in need throughout our community. I love to participate in the United Way Day of Caring when I can work it into my schedule, and I have many friendships and completed projects as a result of my involvement with this event. I am currently the county council representative for Jackson County Industrial Development Corporation. I am also wrapping up my eighth year serving as the Jackson County Republican Party chairman.

It has been my privilege to serve in this role and share our conservative values through our volunteer efforts, our community outreach events and our growth throughout the county. I am so grateful to live here and call Jackson County home.”

Brett Turner: “In addition to my duties as a current Jackson County Council member, I work here and live here. I also serve on the Jackson County Ambulance Board and the Leadership Jackson County Board. I recently was involved with meeting with each of the ten volunteer fire departments in Jackson County to ascertain their needs and struggles that the county might be able to assist with.”