WebCounty: Appling Atkinson Bacon Baker Baldwin Banks Barrow Bartow Ben Hill Berrien Bibb Bleckley Brantley Brooks Bryan Bulloch Burke Butts Calhoun Camden Candler Carroll Catoosa Charlton Chatham Chattahoochee Chattooga Cherokee Clarke Clay Clayton Clinch Cobb Coffee Colquitt Columbia Cook Coweta Crawford Crisp Dade Dawson Decatur DeKalb Candidates for Ashe County Board of Commissioners answer questions ahead of election, Compiled By Bailey Little Nothing is free and everything should be earned. As a commissioner, I would seek out every avenue that could be found, to ensure this problem could be addressed. I have worked public jobs from self-employment to retail and held management positions since I was 15 years old. Russell Killen: There is usually going to be conflict on decisions that are being made and you are never going to make everyone happy. An example is the new Agriculture Center that construction will begin on this year. My children have for many years attended Ashe County Public Schools. Jerry Powers: I would hope to be a voice of reason, as I hope I was perceived in my prior term, with no interest in dictating Ashe Countys future. All the facts must be verified for disclosure when legally possible so all affected parties are fully aware of the circumstances surrounding the issue. Some of my community involvement is that I am a member and Past Master of Ashe Lodge #594, 32 Degree Scottish Rite Mason in which I am a lifetime member, a member of The Oasis Temple and Past President of the Ashe Shrine Club and a member of Jefferson Lodge No 38 of the Odd Fellows. Our citizens deserve better than that. Again, elected officials work for the people, to serve at the will of the people and that is certainly what I intend to do as one of your five County Commissioners, if elected. I assure you, my wife, Dianne, keeps me up-to-date with education in Ashe County. It is not the school systems job. I have a Master of Science Degree in International Relations from Troy State University, European Campus, Kaiserslautern, Germany, August 1982. I would seek to understand the environmental, cultural and economic impacts of the project in the short term as well as the long term. In the time that I have served on the Board of Commissioners we have made great efforts to be accessible and open to everyone in Ashe County. I believe in recruiting the businesses that are right for Ashe County and want to be in Ashe County. We could certainly crush the current 4.2% unemployment rate that our county currently has. I was born and raised in Lansing, North Carolina by Kenneth and the late Stella Massey. I had a coworker from Wilkes County that had gotten promoted and sent to the eastern part of the state that told me about Ashe County. The children are the future of the county and not just the responsibility of the school system. 4. I believe that I have the skills, experience, and willingness to listen and work together with my fellow citizens in protecting and advancing Ashe County as an incredible place to live, work and play. We need to be capable of listening to our constituents with compassion and open minds, even when we dont agree. I know we need a safe county, and there I support back the blue. Also, when we think along those lines we need never forget our fire and rescue squads. When looking at the cost would it be fully on the county or be partially funded by other means? 3 of 11 4 of 11. You have permission to edit this article. When any project is presented to the Board for consideration my first questions will be how will it improve Ashe County and what will the tax burden be both now and into the future. I think each project should be researched completely looking at whether the return to Ashe County residents is worth the amount of money we would need to invest in the project. 1. What is the biggest challenge facing Ashe County Schools and how will you work with the school board to address it? This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. The Ashe Post & Times asked the same eight questions to each candidate and their responses are included here. This has put an unexpected strain on our public services. We cant satisfy ourselves with just reacting to things. What are some issues facing Ashe County that the Board of Commissioners can address?Jonathan Jordan: I want us to be ready to deal with the changes coming our way from the widening of Highway 221. I may have helped you or your family purchase or sell a house or property. First, I would consider what potential this project would have to benefit the county. Tell us a little about yourself and why you want to be an Ashe County Commissioner. We all need to be more aware of what is creeping into the educational programs that they want taught to our children. In the 2021 calendar year, there were almost 29,000 calls for service including fire, EMS and law enforcement. It has been my job, as Commissioner, to take an objective look at each project and determine those that will serve the most citizens and be financially sustainable into the future. Be Nice. Lack of broadband support and cell phone coverage throughout the entire county. If elected, what are you hoping the Ashe County Board of Commissioners will achieve by the end of your term?Jonathan Jordan: Should I be elected to serve on the Ashe County Board of Commissioners, it would be my hope to end that term as a good steward with the county continuing to remain on a sound financial footing, with strong financial reserves, a low tax rate for our citizens, and continued economic opportunity and progress. Many citizens are unemployed. 6. About when one thought the House GOP could not handle any more scandals or politically dumb decisions, reporters revealed the House Ethics Committee had investigated state Rep. Scotty Campbell from Mountain City (the northeastern tip of Tennessee) for alleged sexual harassment of legislative employees. My question is, How does someone working part-time afford housing even if it were available? This doesnt include food, utilities or medical care (that is not included with a part-time job). How would you address the lack of affordable housing in Ashe County that both current and potential Ashe County residents are dealing with? How would you encourage employment and economic development in Ashe County? The Bible says count the cost before you begin. 2. We should utilize our rich natural and cultural resources to invigorate the community and insprire healthy and sustainable improvements in the lives of the people of Ashe County. 8. After that, I went to graduate school for public health and spent some time in Ethiopia doing community health education. I know of one bus driver that works at Walmart after he delivers the students to school. I believe in being fiscally conservative, accountability, integrity and being forthright to the taxpayer. Occasionally the county can take on projects funded by the state, if the county can commit to funding those programs in the future when state (and possibly federal) funds will inevitably dry up. We will through land use planning, strategic capital investments and change management plans ensure a good and improving quality of life in our communities. After graduation, I enlisted in and served 27 years in the United States Marine Corps from 10/28/1985 until my retirement on 10/31/2012. I have always been involved in community affairs as a volunteer; starting as a firefighter in college, then rescue squads, civic organizations and have spent over 20 years volunteering with the Ashe County Sheriffs Office (most of those years as a full-time detective). Don't Threaten. We will have all the utilities in place to make the site shovel ready for potential businesses. If not, he or she is going to have a hard time convincing me to support that project. For natural growth and a base problem for the county is affordable Housing. 4. We have to be the face of the county to make sure our needs are considered. General election for Ashe County Board of Commissioners (3 seats) Beth Sorrell, Mike Eldreth, Todd A. McNeill, and Chuck Olive ran in the general election for Ashe I have a good, working relationship with the school board and am committed to providing the best possible opportunities for our youth. That is dead on arrival with me. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. I spent three years in East Africa and saw the importance of good public health and community-based solutions. We have to balance the growth with good land-use policies that will protect the beautiful natural resources we love, including the fragile mountaintop environments and the New River. nathan.ham@ashepostandtimes.com, Multiple injuries reported after deck collapses in West Jefferson, Jimmy & Jeans Family Arcade and Entertainment hosts ribbon cutting, ACSO apprehends suspect with over 25 felony warrants, Ashe County volunteers honored for their service to the community. These are: 1. Dec. 15: Brian Pittman is 56. Our schools, hospital and all businesses must work toward returning back to normal. Who else would know Ashe County and its people better than someone born and raised here? We need a program that makes parents responsible for the development of their children. First, and foremost I am a Christian in word and deed. Having to make a choice between multiple worthy projects is one of the hardest parts of being a Commissioner. Not all of my decisions were always popular but were always in the best interest and well-intended with positive outcomes for the taxpayer. Although I love traveling and living among other cultures, Ive always been drawn back to my roots in the Appalachian Mountains. Citizens will come to us with a concern or need and we as commissioners should be here to address those needs and concerns. This kind of thing would cause mistrust in the office as well as damage the county. We may need to increase resources to law enforcement. We as a board cant control market forces but if we can help have the infrastructure in place to make building for a developer more enticing. Jonathan Jordan: Should I be elected to serve on the Ashe County Board of Commissioners, it would be my hope to end that term as a good steward with the county continuing to remain on a sound financial footing, with strong financial reserves, a low tax rate for our citizens, and continued economic opportunity and progress. The Ashe Post & Times asked each Ashe County Commissioner candidate to provide a short bio along with responses to a series of questions for publication. Has this project been proposed in other locations and what was its success? I would also like to see more opportunities for youth, including after-school and summer parks programming that they will want to participate in and make them proud to be part of this community. Success! We need to continue to develop all the potential of Ashe Early College. Beth Sorrell: After working and volunteering in many places and differing capacities Ive learned how to work with people from all walks of life and more importantly, how to listen. I would ask for a cost benefit analysis and I would seek community input and listen to perspectives from those who would be affected by the project before deciding whether to support it. Threats of harming another As a candidate for commissioner of Ashe County, I feel that the lack of industry and higher paying jobs in Ashe County is our first problem. Were working with the Sheriffs Department to ensure that they have the equipment and manpower they need to provide the service that people expect. So far, our county if doing well financially federal and state money have assisted us in dealing with COVID-19 and our county tax revenue has increased at a faster rate than previous years. I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from the University of the State of NewYork, Albany, September, 1980. AsheAshe County Board of Commissioners 1.1. Russell Killen: My role, as any of the commissioners should be, is to serve the citizens of Ashe County as a whole and not for my benefit. We as commissioners need to be willing to try and help any way we can to help the citizens of Ashe County to adjust and succeed. I then spent the next 14 years as a Department of the Army Civilian Intelligence Specialist handling Human Intelligence operations as a member of a highly classified intelligence program buried in the bowels of the Army, designed for continuity of human Intelligence operations overseas. Our biggest problem for Ashe County Schools is that the Ashe County taxpayer has been on the hook in the past for $1.6 million dollars for blueprints for the middle school that never came to fruition. If someone has any questions, they can come to the meeting and state their concern or contact the administration department. I think to do that we need more hotel space. Our employees, including teachers, often have to take second jobs to make it. The school system has a new pay scale that would help this, but it has to be funded by the county. I believe that our biggest potential is in our outdoor economy. 8. I served as chairman or co-chairman of numerous committees while in the State House and still have a strong relationship with my former colleagues in state government, who continue to remain in the majority at the legislature. From 1997-2007, I worked for Computer Sciences Corporation when it was one of the Big Three computer corporations in America. WebWes Greene For Ashe County Commissioner Let's Work Together For Ashe County Republican Candidate For County Commissioner I believe in the people of Ashe County and protecting what we have while looking to improve where we need improvement. Government is for the people and by the people and everyone deserves to know what their elected officials are up to and how they are spending our tax dollars. Housing has become a major problem here in Ashe County.
What Does This Quote Mean Generator,
Oceania Sirena Ship Photos,
Florida Man Articles By Date,
Can A Uti Affect A Drug Test,
Articles A