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THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS • THE COMMERCE NEWS
WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 2016
Madison County runoff election
3 races on the ballot in GOP runoff Tuesday
Madison County voters will
hit the polls Tuesday for three
local Republican runoff elec
tions.
Lee Allen and Wayne Doug
las are vying for the Board of
Commissioners District 1 seat.
John Scarborough and Stanley
Thomas are facing off for the
chance to face Democrat Ced
ric Fortson in the November
general election for the county
commission chairman’s seat.
And incumbent Kip Thomas
is being challenged by Michael
Moore for the sheriffs seat.
Polls will be open from 7
am. to 7 p.m. Here is a look
at the candidates on the ballot:
BOC District 1
Lee Allen
Lee Allen is a 2000 Madison
County High School graduate.
He was raised in the Sanford
community and was a mem
ber of Erastus Christian Church.
“I moved away from Madi
son County in 2008 to Florida
where I was general manag
er over 35 employees and all
operations at Amelia River GC
on Amelia Island,” said Allen.
“1 excelled at writing business
plans and budgets and most of
all sticking to them. As a young
business leader, I earned the
respect of my peers quickly
and was a member of lead
ership Nassau and an active
member of the Chamber, Big
Brothers Big Sisters and Com
munity in Schools. I learned
the inner-workings of local gov
ernment, how the Chamber
of Commerce and IDA can
help the county grow business
while also helping the local
agriculture businesses to stay
100 percent functional and prof
itable.”
Allen said he believes gov
ernment has to make cuts, just
like families.
“I do believe that in a time
where families everywhere
are cutting back it’s only right
for government to have to cut
back as well,” said Allen. “With
around $9 million of the almost
$15 million budget being prop
erty tax, a mill rate increase
would help, but I’m not sure
if that’s the answer. Madison
County has to be ready to go
seek some business and/or
industry that would benefit the
county and its people. Sales
and employment tax are the
other sources of tax revenue
and we haven’t seen a big
increase in either of those.”
Allen said the county gov
ernment needs to plan for the
future.
“The only issues I have with
the current government is that
long term planning and com
munication has been poor at
best,” he said. “There is no
fiveyear plan not even a three-
year plan.”
Allen said he’ll bring positive
change.
“Through old-school think
ing and self-centered policies,
we have lost touch with what’s
important in this county” he
said. “And that’s the people.
A lack of longterm planning
in Madison County has marry
citizens taking notice. I started
as a concerned citizen worried
about his district and his neigh
bors. It has now turned into a
concerned citizen running for
office.”
Wayne Douglas
Wayne Douglas worked with
the Social Security Adminis
tration for 26 years as a dis
trict manager and retired in
1998. He retired from Ty Cobb
Healthcare in 2014 after serv
ing 13 years as assistant to the
CFO. He is also pastor Wesley
Chapel Church and is entering
his 30th year.
“While on the board of the
Chamber of Commerce, I led
the effort to start the annual
Ag Day Celebration as well
as the Madison County Youth
Leadership program at MCHS,”
said Douglas. “I am a mentor
and have been for 10 years
and actively participate in the
annual ‘Back To School Drive.’
I currently serve as the chair
man of the Madison County
Planning and Zoning Commis
sion, which is an independent
recommending panel to the
Madison County BOC.”
Douglas said there are no
simple fixes for the county’s
budget revenue shortfalls.
“I would support a mill rate
increase only after a thorough
review of all departments to
determine cuts that could
be made without adversely
impacting the citizens of our
county” said Douglas. “The
county should be no different
than the many families in our
county who have had to make
changes in order to make ends
meet. Without a thorough,
thoughtful review, it would be
unwise to state ary one area
that should be cut.”
The candidate said the
county needs to be more
receptive to businesses, while
also protecting agriculture.
“Business and agriculture
are not mutually exclusive,” he
said. “Our zoning ordinance
preserves our agricultural
base.... Infrastructure in our
towns needs improvement in
order to attract business. We
need a longterm plan for busi
ness development and need to
find the funds to implement the
plan. This would be a major
emphasis for me to present to
the BOC.”
Douglas said county leaders
need to think about what is best
for the county as a whole.
“The BOC needs to start
dealing with what is best for
the county as the first concern
and the individual districts as
a second concern,” he said.
“Without a strong financially
stable county the districts will
suffer.”
BOC Chairman
John Scarborough
John Scarborough is a 1978
Madison County High School
graduate with a bachelor’s
degree from the University of
Georgia and a Master’s Degree
in business administration from
Oklahoma City University and
a pending Doctorate degree in
space and aviation education
from Oklahoma State. His 40
years of work experience in
the private and public sector
include time with DuPont,
United Parcel Service (UPS),
Brown Transport, England
Electric, Valley Services, South
easter Color Lithographers, the
University of Georgia, Science
Application Corporation (SAIC,
now Leidos Corp) and the
United States Air Force.
“I’ve served as team leader
of an aerial surveillance and
reconnaissance operation in
the Middle East with responsi
bility for a $75 million annual
budget,” said Scarborough.
The candidate said the role
of government is to “keep the
wheels turning.”
“I would keep every option
available to include a recom
mendation to raise the mill-
age rate and/or cut county
services,” said Scarborough.
“However, those are not my
first choices. My preference
would be to scrub our coun
ty budget, factor in any state
money available, consider
delinquent property tax bills,
examine tax assessments with
respect to current property
values, pursue an all-out effort
to attract new business expan
sion within the county and last
ly suspend or delay ary expen
diture that could be deferred
until the next budget year (as
opposed to cutting or reducing
a needed service)—this would
afford the county uninterrupted
service while allowing time to
fund those services.”
He said he feels the county
can expand its industry and-
maintain its agricultural base.
“Madison County enjoys the
top position in the state with
respect to agricultural produc
tion — not ty chance — but by
its commitment to supporting
farmers and agricultural val
ues,” said Scarborough. “With
this in mind, there are many
Madison County citizens that
do not farm. We must protect
their interests as well. The sin
gle best way to do this is to
devise a plan and a means for
everyone to shoulder the bur
den of paying for county ser
vices all county citizens enjoy
and are entitled to.”
Scarborough said if elected,
he would lead and examina
tion of the industrial authority.
“Not to suggest anything
negative, however, I feel all
county entities should bear
scrutiny and judgment from its
citizens,” he said. “The IDA is
a critical element in Madison
County’s future - its actions
must be measured and judged
by the county. This element
was formed to enhance and
expand our county’s options
and opportunities. I just want to
ensure it is performing the task
itwassetouttodo.”
The candidate said he feels
communication and planning
and are key to efficient govern
ment.
“A breakdown in commu
nication, or unwillingness to
agree without being disagree
able is unacceptable,” he
said. “...As chairman I would
encourage commissioners,
department heads to come
together and map out not only
a oneyear plan, but a three and
fiveyear plan as well. These
strategic plans, or long-range
plans, would aid tremendous
ly in resolving prioritization of
road construction and mainte
nance issues, budget concerns,
expanding utility requirements,
support for county services.”
Stanley Thomas
Stanley Thomas is a lifelong
citizen of Madison County and
graduated from Madison Coun
ty High School. He attended
Gainesville and Emmanuel
College. He retired from the
USPS and owned and operat
ed Strike Zone Batting Cages
in Danielsville. He works for
CBUR and has served 11 years
as District 1 Commissioner,
with six years as vice chairman.
“I have coached MCYA
football, Little League baseball
and recreation softball,” said
Thomas. “My wife and I attend
Gordon’s Chapel UMC. I have
been very active in Madison
County as a commissioner.
I have regular attendance to
most and all ACCG and UGA
Institute of Government training
and legislative meetings. I was
awarded the Gold Standard of
Excellence in 2014 ty the ACCG
and the UGA Institute of Gover-
ment. I have worked on Wat
son’s Mill State Park, Seagraves
Mill Lake, and the red light at
Ingles intersection projects. I
also helped to secure grants
for sheriff cars and ambulance
purchase. If elected chairman,
I will fully devote my time to
serving Madison County and
its citizens.”
Thomas said that he is
always looking for ways to cut
spending.
“When I went in office in
2005, we started cutting our
budget and worked to get about
$5 million in reserves,” he
said. “We now have almost $3
million in reserves and about
$1 million owed to the coun
ty from other department’s
SPLOST accounts. We last
raised the mill rate in 2006. The
state stopped the local assis
tance money and the $500,000
tax relief money to the county.
We had major problems with
our economy and housing val
ues in 2008. We are now seeing
an increase in values.... I will
work with constitutional offi
cers on our budgets to prevent
a mill increase. I would support
a increase if there was a major
decrease in public safety in
order to keep our citizens safe.”
Thomas said he’d like to see
more farm-related businesses
in the county “such as farm
equipment sales, a hatchery or
cattle bam...business that pro
vides jobs related to farming.”
“We must also work to get
other business in our county”
he said. “With an industrial
park, rail, and all the state high
ways, we should be able to
get business.... We should be
working to provide jobs for our
children, rather than moving
them away to find employ
ment. It will soon be time to
work on our mandated county
land use plan, and I welcome
public input from all Madison
County citizens. We must be
respectful of business, agricul
ture and commercial in order
to provide more jobs and a
better tax base.
The candidate said he’d like
to have twotothree meetings
a year with county city school
and other officials.
Thomas said he feels the
county must do a better job
planning for road paving and
maintenance, establishing
threeto-five year plans.
“There are 556.2 road miles
in Madison County” said
Thomas. “There are 142 dirt
roads, totaling 109.08miles. The
estimate to pave a dirt road to
asphalt is $425,000k>$450,000
per mile. Total SPLOST for the
road deparment budget is $1
million per year. A large num
ber of our paved roads need
repair. We must look at repair
ing these roads to avoid a more
costly repair in the future. Only
a $23.06 per $1,000 in property
tax revenue is allotted for road
department revenue. We must
prioritize our road projects as
a county need above a want.”
Sheriff
Michael Moore
Michael Moore was bom
and raised in Madison County
and has lived here almost all
of his life, graduating from Mad
ison County High School in
1992. He grew up in the Neese/
Sanford community where he
recently returned. He was intro
duced to the volunteer fire ser
vice in the Neese community
and began volunteering at 18.
After graduation, he relocated
to the Colbert area where he
lived for 20 years and operat
ed his own business, J. Moore
Tracking.
“I began my law enforce
ment career in 2002 at Ath
ens Clarke County Sheriff’s
Office where I obtained a vast
knowledge of jail management
and operations,” said Moore.
“I knew my ultimate goal was
to return home and serve the
people of Madison County. I
began working for the Mad
ison County Sheriff’s Office
in 2004 as a Deputy Sheriff.
During my tenure, I was able
to work in multiple fields of
the department and gained a
valuable working knowledge
of this department. Prior leav
ing the department in 2014 I
served as the training officer for
the new employees and patrol
shift commander with the rank
of Seigeant. While I continued
serving as a volunteer firefight
er, I also served as arson inves
tigator. “This would keep the
deputies out in your commu
nity and not in the office,” he
said. “Currently deputies return
to the sheriff’s office after calls
to write their reports. Madison
County has approximately
3,000 reports written each year.
Any available opportunity to
keep our guys in the commu
nity and not at the office will
reduce the crime rate in Mad
ison County greatly. At times
there is overtime being paid to
deputies because they’re too
busy to return to the office and
write the report. They have to
stay away from their families to
complete their paperwork after
an already long 12-hour shift.”
He said he can cut the
payroll too.
“As a former employee, I
have seen where the current
administration has placed
ranking officers in positions
that are unnecessary” said
Moore. “That has created a
higher payroll budget that can
be reduced by restructuring
their responsibilities. Madison
County citizens need a sheriff
who will spend by necessity
and control the spending, not
someone who spends without
limitation to the outlined budget
and available funds.”
Moore said every law
enforcement decision comes
with a price.
“One of the most common
budget line items that’s typically
over spent or uncontrolled is
the overtime budget,” he said.
“My plan to correct that issue
is simply become a working
sheriff to help offset the cost
of overtime. My administration
will be on patrol as well as han
dling their daily duties. You will
see more manpower on the
streets of Madison County with
less overtime paid.”
The sheriff’s candidate said
he will fight to make Madison
County “a drug free location.”
“I believe the battle is great
but we have to fight with all we
have,” he said. “We all have
family members that are good
people with a bad addiction,
but we know our family mem
bers make very bad choices
every day. Drugs typically are
the root cause for the majori
ty of property crimes. Reduce
drugs then we reduce thefts,
burglaries and assaults. Unfor
tunately a drug free county is
certainly a challenge but we
have to fight.”
He said he is also commit
ted to building morale inside
the sheriff’s office.
“The brothers and sisters in
law enforcement have a target
on their back,” he said. “We
have to watch each other 24/7.
By standing with them you will
build relationships. A happy
employee is one who will serve
the citizens of Madison County
without hesitation. I believe in
an open-door policy. I will be
available to our citizens and to
our staff.”
Kip Thomas, incumbent
Kip Thomas is a 1994 grad
uate of Madison County High
School and has served two
terms as Madison County’s
sheriff. He attends Colbert Bap
tist Church and a Partner in
Education at two elementary
schools. He is a member of
the Madison County Rotary
Club and involved in the annu
al toy collection for the Madi
son County Food Bank.
“After returning to Madison
County following my military
service, I began working in law
enforcement and currently
have over 17 years of experi
ence.,” said Thomas. “Most
importantly I have been your
sheriff for the past seven-and-
a-half years. I have over 1,400
hours of law enforcement train
ing. I am a P.O.S.T. certified
general instractorwith addition
al instructor certifications in fire
arms, shogun and taser. Some
of my other training includes
SWAT, active shooter response,
advanced firearms, gangs, drug
investigations, school violence,
identity theft, search and sei
zure, traffic laws, grant man
agement, ethics, open records,
and child safety passenger
technician. I am also a certified
armorer.”
Thomas said his office has
accomplished many things
during his two terms.
“I am very proud of the
hard-working men and
women that make up the Mad
ison County Sheriff’s Office,”
he said. “My jail staff has
persevered through years of
over-crowding and a stressful
work environment. They now
have more space to do their job
in a safe and adequate building.
My deputies work hard each
day and are constantly obtain
ing training to stay informed
on the latest issues. Our office’s
seven certified instructors,
including myself, are able to
provide in-house trainings
to cut costs of sending staff
out of town for training hours
whenever possible. The sher
iff’s office currently has seven
investigators that are special
ized in crimes against children,
sex offenders, identity theft and
fraud, drug investigations and
other crimes, including theft.”
He said the inmate work
crews do work around the
county saving money for the
government. Thomas said the
department holds numerous
community training pregrams.
He said he has placed school
resource officers at the high
school and middle school to
improve school safety and has
an active CHAMPS pregram to
encourage kids to make good
life choices.
“We also continue to have
the Explorers Program for
students in the middle and
high schools that are interest
ed in future law enforcement
careers,” he said, noting that
there is also a Junior Deputy
program.
Thomas said budgeting is a
challenge for the sheriffs office.
“During my years as Sheriff,
we have cut hundreds of thou
sands of dollars from the bud
get,” he said. “In the end, there
was only so much that could
be cut while still being able
to function properly. For the
past several years the sheriffs
Office and Jail have been over
budget. This was due to being
underfunded from the get go.
For example, in previous years,
our water/sewer bill averaged
68,000 per year. In my budget,
I would ask for this amount,
but would only receive 54,000
to cover this cost. With situa
tions like this along with things
like winter storms that required
many hours of overtime pay
my office would end up over
budget.”
Thomas said his office is
committed to battling drug use
and drug trafficking.
“Those who abuse drugs
many times spiral into also
committing other crimes also,”
he said. “This is problem in our
county state, and nation. The
sheriffs office drug investigator
is constantly working to locate
and arrest those that are using
or selling illegal dogs. The
recent formation of a new drug
task force for our area, which
will include Madison County
will allow for more manpower
for drug investigations.”
He also noted that law
enforcement is facing some
real challenges in the U.S.
“Another challenge that we
face as law enforcement, here
and across the nation, is the
ever-changing situations that
officers are placed in,” he said.
“We frequently see it on the
news, a total lack of respect for
the men and women that try
to serve and protect their com
munities. Our deputies never
know what might be around
the next comer or what the
next call might entail. While
we are still a somewhat rural
county we are not immune to
potential deadly situations that
we must be prepared to han
dle. As sheriff, I will continue
to work towards providing my
staff with what they need to do
their jobs effectively and with
the utmost safety.”
Community Forum-
Parents and community members are invited to a community forum on
Thursday, July 28, at 6:00 pm in the auditorium of Commerce High
School. During the forum, parents and community members will
receive an update of the Balanced Scorecard and the System Strategic
Plan for Commerce City Schools.