ashe

The Ashe Post & Times recently asked the Ashe County Board of Commissioners candidates running in the upcoming May 8 Republican primary questions about their desire to run for office, their plans if elected, their take on the issues facing Ashe County and their opinion on the current group of commissioners. After the primary the five candidates will be reduced to three and will run against the two Democratic candidates running for commissioner for the three open seats. These are their answers:

Larry Dix: We need a positive change in leadership and need to focus on what is good for Ashe County. I think the people in Ashe County want leadership who can be objective, fair and impartial. We need a vision for Ashe County which includes a strategic plan for what drives Ashe County forward while taking care of the citizens, keeping the tax rate low, providing safety and protection, and helping the working folks keep their head above water. I want to be a voice for the people of Ashe County and I plan to have regular forums to get feedback on issues. Currently I have been talking and listening to people all over the county such as business owners, builders, tree growers, homeowners, farmers, etc. to find out what their concerns are and what they think commissioners need to do.

I believe you don’t get what you expect, you get what you inspect. I want to inspect what we are doing with our tax dollars, how they are being collected and how they are being spent. I live by a budget and so do most taxpayers, so we need to know how our dollars are being managed.

Todd McNeill: I am running to keep my seat on the Ashe County Board of Commissioners to restore public confidence in the local leadership and to be an advocate for our citizens and our young families. I am a genuine and sincere candidate with no agenda to push other than making Ashe County an even better place to live, work and raise our families.

William Sands: I have been in office as Commissioner for eight years. I worked as a volunteer with the sheriff’s office for over 22 years. I love our people and our county. We have so much going on in the county at this time with future possibilities involving the expansion of Highway 221. We have a great county government. It is a pleasure to work with our dedicated employees. I feel my experience and education will allow me to assist in moving our county forward.

Wayne Osborne: I am running for Ashe County Commissioner because I feel like it is what the Lord is leading me to do. I try my best to let him lead and me do his will.

**** Cox: I’m running for county commissioner because I think it’s time for a change. Let’s get someone in there where we can have somebody that’s born and raised here and knows what goes on. It’s time for a change.

Cox: The upper end of the county needs some improvement because they’re just so far out. The people, they’re way up there, and I think it’d be good if we had satellite sheriff’s offices. That’s something I’d like to see improve as far as the safety of the people. We’ve got a beautiful county we need to take care of.

Osborne: I would like to see more better paying jobs and education to help prepare for them. I want Ashe County to be the place that we all want to live and can afford to live. A county that the kids that go off to college can and will want to come back to. And the ones that don’t want to leave to go to college can stay.

Sands: Lack of jobs has always been a concern. The unemployment rate has decreased in the last few years. We are blessed with the industries and businesses located in our county. They have continued to add jobs. Our community college has an expansion program under way. They have been critical in training for the new positions. The college also offers opportunity for higher education locally and at a lower cost. We must support our schools and college.

Also another and ongoing concern is taxes, taxes must be kept affordable while maintaining essential services. This is a challenge.

McNeill: I think that Ashe County is experiencing common growing pains. We are fortunate that unemployment is low but we are finding out that we have a shortage of affordable housing. I plan to work with our economic development department and others to hopefully produce some budget friendly housing options other than government subsidized facilities.

Dix: As a community, we need to ask the right questions as we look at improvements. We need to look at what drives Ashe County and what can we do to improve these areas. We also need to ask, “Is it good for Ashe County?” The Ashe County economic profile indicates that agriculture, tourism, education, trades, private industry, construction/building, government, and manufacturing along with some others all drive Ashe County.

We need to look at what is already working in Ashe County and continue to build of what we as a county to do to help these economic assets.

We also need to improve on what brings people to Ashe County, for example our rivers attract many people. Are we doing enough as a community to build on this particular asset? We may need to revisit the Creeper Trail in Ashe County.

I think we always need to look at how we can improve on education, and work with the board of education to keep our good standing and our employees.

We need to build on what is realistic and what drives Ashe County now without giving up on what is important to the people in Ashe County.

Where are the jobs now? What can we do to bring jobs to the county?

We need to do more for our youth and families �" maybe revisit the YMCA or look at building a Youth Center, maybe help build a group home for children. Right now, all the children and youth needing group home residential care are sent outside of Ashe County.

McNeill: The thing that qualifies me most is my sincere desire to see continued success in my home county. I think the most important characteristic for any local leader to have is an eagerness to see his neighbors and community succeed. I was born and raised right here in Ashe County, attending Ashe Central High School, then being part of the first class to graduate from Ashe County High. I later graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in public relations. I am now the owner of a growing small business. I am just a regular guy, living life and raising a family in my hometown, and that gives me the perspective to be a successful advocate for others doing the same.

Sands: Eight years as county commissioner, a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alabama in business management, 34 years with Duke Power Company, including 18 years in supervision and 13 years in management and over 22 years in the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office as a detective, with 14 years being full time and six being part time, with all 22 years coming as a volunteer.

Cox: I was born, raised and grew up here. I’ve seen the things that need to be done and I want to work for the people.

Osborne: My years of commitment to Ashe County and my love for Ashe County.

Dix: I am a certified public manager and amd retired from state government where I had been a public servant for over 30 years serving in several administrative and executive management positions including over 20 years with the Administrative Office of the Courts. I retired as deputy secretary of a state department overseeing over 1,000 employees in all 100 counties and a budget of over $100 million. I received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in 2009 by the governor.

I am currently head tennis coach at Ashe County High School. I am a father, an adoptive father, a licensed foster parent, a grandparent, a coach, a retiree and own a small farm in the Helton Community. I am married to former Michelle Halsey, a native from the Baldwin Community who has owned a small business in West Jefferson. I serve as a deacon at Bald Mountain Church and teach Sunday School. I have small children still living at home. All of this helps keep me grounded on everyday basic family life, safety and needs.

Cox: I have experience in Law Enforcement and want to help the people and know what needs to be done.

Dix: I think the people of Ashe County want action not words. Any candidate can make promises but past actions illustrate what kind of servant leader someone will be. I think my track record and experience in managing large budgets, past performance in handling personnel issues in an objective and impartial manner, experience in building community involvement and interest around building projects, and working with people of all economic levels give me an insight that will be valuable as a county commissioner. I am a listener and I go about making decision by listening, getting as much information as I can, talking with others, and praying. I believe in communication and transparency.

Sands: As stated in (my qualified) response.

McNeill: What sets me apart is the fact that I can view our current state of affairs from so many perspectives, therefore being able to relate to more of the population. I am a husband and father of four young children, so I understand the challenges and rewards of raising a family in the high country. I am an entrepreneur and small business owner, therefore being aware of how important it is to be financially responsible as well as how government can foster a business friendly environment. My wife has been a nurse at Ashe Memorial for many years, giving me perspective on the importance of maintaining quality healthcare in our community. My father was employed at Thomasville Furniture for 40 years. With the plant closing not long after I started college, I understand how it feels to have your family’s livelihood shipped “down the mountain.” It’s these life experiences, and more, that give me a strong common bond with folks here in Ashe County.

Osborne: Honestly just that I feel in my heart and head that this is what the Lord is leading me to do. I will do my best to let the Lord lead me in my decisions and listen to the people of Ashe County.

McNeill: I would like to challenge all of my colleagues on the board to be more open and accessible to the public. Since being appointed to the board in January, I have made it a point to let people know when and where I will be available to hear their ideas and concerns. If we are to serve the people and carry out their will, then we must make ourselves available to them.

Dix: Most of the people I talk with feel the sheriff situation should have been handled differently. I also think that a decision needs to be made on the asphalt plant. This has been going on for some time and has cost the taxpayers a lot in legal fees. I do not have all the details but it seems this could have been handled in a way that could have saved time and taxpayer dollars.

Sands: I feel commissioners should work together in making decisions for the betterment of our county. The board should be open and transparent on any issue not regulated by state statute.

Osborne: Less executive sessions and more openness.

Cox: Right now the meetings is both in the day. I would like to see one in the day and one in the evening so that everybody can have the opportunity to come to a meeting and share their thoughts and what they liked and what they didn’t like. I think one thing is that everybody needs to work together to make it better for the citizens and the people that come and visit. We need to work as a group, with all departments of the county, to make it better for the citizens.

Osborne: Good-paying jobs, low-cost housing.

Sands: More of a concern than a problem, is dealing with the expansion of 221. We and our economic director must move forward in planning for our future with this added asset to our county.

McNeill: I certainly wouldn’t call it a problem, but the most pressing matter on our agenda would be the expansion of Highway 221. I am confident that we are approaching a period of extraordinary growth for Ashe County. With good leadership and a proactive approach, I believe we can produce exciting new opportunities for our citizens. The highway will make us much more accessible and more attractive to companies looking for a place to expand. It is important to have enthusiastic people with can-do attitudes in positions of leadership to help Ashe County take full advantage of this opportunity. I think I am the person for that job, and I am so excited about what the future holds for Ashe County!

Cox: One thing we need to do is get more employment for places to work. We need to try and get jobs, get manufacturers to come back in. We have the new road going in and it’s gonna bring lots of people and opportunity. We need to work with the different employers here, AEV or GE Aviation and talk about expanding. Maybe we can work with the Economic Director and see what we can do better for our county as far as getting people places to work. We’ve got a lot of young kids coming out of school. Maybe we can find them jobs so they don’t have to leave to work.

Dix: One issue that deserves much attention is keeping the tax rate low. This will require deliberate action and a strategic plan. As I have said before we need a vision and a plan. We need to hear from the people what they want for Ashe County. There are many projects coming up for example the new middle school and we will have to decide how to pay for it. Also we need to prepare for the expansion of Hwy 221 and how that will impact the county.

I think all candidates will say we need more jobs, better roads, more small businesses, more industry, better facilities and equipment, more demand for our agricultural products, more pay for our dedicated, deserving employees �" without raising taxes.

We need to be smart, we need to have a plan, but we need to hear from the people and get their input on what is good for Ashe County. We cannot sit still and let it just happen with words �" we need action. My goal is to talk and listen to the people and then use my background, experience and family values to make the best decision I can for Ashe County.

I think basically people just want to be safe, protected, have food on the table, a roof over their head and be able to pay the bills. My job as commissioner is to help them do that.