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PACE 6A THE BANKS COUNTY NEWS WEDNESDAY, JULY 9, 2008 — Meet the Candidates — Gene Hart, County BOC chairman (incumbent) Charles Chapman, Sheriff (incumbent) How has your background prepared you for the seat you are seeking? My current position as chair man of the Banks County Commission provides me with great experience and training for continuing my service in that office. I have held responsi ble positions in private industry, operated a Banks County farm, and served the citizens of Banks County in public office, all of which gives me unique insight and understanding in working for Banks County. Why are you the most qualified person for this posi tion? I have extensive training in many areas of public and private management: •ACCG Certified County Commissioner & Leadership (UGA Carl Vincent Institute). •Departmental management for large corporations (Penn State University) •Public management of personnel, finance, budgeting, zoning, tax assessment (ACCG training). •US Navy ship's engineer and division leader (E-5). •On-the-job experience as the current chairman. I have received formal education from the following accredited institutions: •Banks County High School (graduate diploma). •Gainesville College (degree in marketing). •Penn State University (Seminar Certification). What do you consider to be the key issues facing the campaign? If elected, what would be your plans on how to address these issues? Water: How does Banks County provide its residents and businesses with adequate supplies of water? I will address this issue by utilizing the services of the water engineering firm (which has already been hired) to assess all potential water sources in the county including lakes, rivers, streams and reservoirs. I am also seeking part nerships with surrounding towns and counties to find areas of cooperation for water resources. The county has already received and I have instructed the county's grant writer to continue to seek grants for the funding of water projects. Landfill Expansion: The current landfill management wishes to eliminate Poole Road (a county road) in order to expand its coverage area. Should the county permit this to happen? I will seek to defend the county's current zoning regulations, which govern landfill expansions, that cur rently do not permit this expansion. I will seek assistance from the state EPD to ensure that current environmental regulations are enforced that do not permit such expansion across a public road. Growth: How does Banks County prepare for the growth in its population and businesses? I will seek to produce a revised county comprehensive land use plan that empha sizes effective use of zoning to provide ample room for business and industrial growth in selected areas while pre serving most of the county for farming and residential use. I will continue to push the county’s utilities infrastructure for water and sewerage into all parts of the county to sup port residents and businesses. What is the greatest challenge facing the person elect ed to this position and how would you address it? Taxes and revenue: How will the county meet all of the needs of its citizens while providing its residents with the least possible millage rates on their property evaluations? As I have done in the past, I will hold each department responsible for properly justifying its spending in order to keep from raising rates on property owners to increase tax revenue. I will seek to have all departments which charge fees to operate as much as possible based on the revenue stream generated from the department's fees. I will help businesses and industries to locate in the approved areas of the county in order to provide jobs for citizens and shift more of the tax burden away from the farmer and residen tial land owner. What course would you like to see the county take as it grows over the next decade? I would like to see the county be able to maintain its rural/ residential character while providing for local jobs for its citizens though the location of businesses and industries into the county. Milton Dalton, County BOC chairman Please summarize your background. I was a business owner in Cornelia for 20 years. I worked for the Banks County Sheriff's Department for three years and seven months. I was elected Probate Judge, which I served 21 years. How has your background prepared you for the seat you are seeking? As a business owner and public servant of Banks County, I have learned to listen to people. It has given me an insight on how the county should be run. Why are you the most qualified person for this position? I feel that I am qualified by all the years of experi ence I have had owning a business and working for Banks County dealing with people and their personal problems. What do you consider to be the key issue facing the campaign? If elected, what would be your plans on how to address these issues? I feel that water and controlled growth of Banks County are the key issues. I will start by trying to get the 1,000,000 gallon water per day permit for the Hudson River Basin that we lost some years ago. I think the 1-85 Martin Bridge area should be developed for industry and possibly some along U.S. 441. This will give our young people some place to work without having to drive out of the county. What is the greatest challenge facing the person elect ed to this position and how would you address it? One of the greatest challenges facing the chairman will be getting the necessary infrastructure in place prior to committing to new development. We can't commit to subdivisions or heavy industry without the water and sewer necessary to attract such development. To do so would be a waste of resources and bring a rapid increase in the tax burden on our citizens. In a tight ecomony, such as we have today, keeping the size of government down and keeping taxes low is my #1 goal. What course would you like to see the county take as it grows over the next decade? I'd like to see Banks County remain a place which has a great atmosphere for raising a family, is supportive of all our farming intrests and is industry friendly. I think it is critical that we develop several water shed lakes or reservoirs in Banks County over the next decade. Water is a must for every community and I'd like to leave our children and grandchildren with plenty of this vital resource. If we can build these lakes it will create a source of revenue for the county and be an attraction for quality growth. By having numerous industries or businesses competing to locate in Banks County, we can pick and choose from among the best and which will be the most beneficial for Banks County. DALTON DA race the most expensive of election season $73,163 spent through June in contest — see page 7 A for DA candidate Q&A The three candidates vying for the District Attorney’s position in the Piedmont Judicial Circuit had spent over $73,000 through June, making the race the most expensive local con test this election season. According to the candidates' cam paign disclosure reports, Donna Sikes had spent the most money in the race at $42,400. However, despite a long list of individual contributions, Sikes had raised only $21,000 so far. A large part of her expenses went to a political consulting firm in Gwinnett County. Candidate Brad Smith had raised the most money so far in the campaign at $23,300, most of it from area law firms. Smith also contributed to his own campaign both with in-kind dona tions and in paying the $3,330 qualify- continued on page 12A Please summarize your back ground. I am 61 years of age and live in the Washington District of Banks County. I have been married to Linda Jean Poole Chapman for 41 years. My wife, Linda and I have two chil dren and four grandchildren. I have been in law enforcement for 19 years and was elected sheriff in 1996, which I have served since. How has your background prepared you for the seat you are seeking? The training and experience that I have had over the past 19 years in law enforcement has prepared me for the posi tion which I seek. Why are you the most qualified person for this posi tion? Over the past 11 years, I have served as sheriff and I have a proven record in carrying out the duties of sheriff and with fiscal responsibility in the operations of this office. What do you consider to be the key issues facing the campaign? If elected, what would be your plans on how to address these issues? Most challenging issues in upcoming election: The biggest issue is the cost of operating the sheriff's office and balancing the budget to effectively operate the jail and the cost of funding law enforcement in order to best protect the citizens of Banks County. In order to serve the needs of Banks County with the funds made available in the budget to the sheriff’s office, I have used my experience and insight to put into place a tight, but workable financial plan, to best utilize the tax dol lars of the Banks County citizens, effectively and without waste. I have put into place programs to offset the high cost of operating the sheriff’s office to help with current expenses CHAPMAN Carlton Speed, Sheriff Please summarize your background. I am currently in my fif teenth year of law enforce ment. I have worked for the Banks County Sheriff’s Office and currently work for the Hall County Sheriff's Office as a property crimes investigator. I am currently on a leave of absence to seek the office of sheriff here in Banks County. I SPEED have worked as jailer, patrol officer, patrol shift sergeant where I supervised a shift, lieutenant over the patrol division where I ran the day to day operations of the patrol division. Promoted to investigator where I investigated crimes against per sons which included child molestations, aggravated assaults and any other person crimes. Interdiction offi cer where I attempted to stop criminals before they could commit crimes in high crime areas. Then my current assignment of property crimes investigator where I investigated burglaries, theft by taking, crimi nal trespass and any and all property crimes. How has your background prepared you for the seat you are seeking? My background has prepared me for this position by allowing me to work in all aspects of law enforcement from the detention setting where I was familiar with the daily operations of a jail, the patrol division where I answered calls and patrolled a district. Sergeant where I ran a shift and directed calls and responses. Lieutenant where I oversaw the daily functions of all the patrol offi cers. maintenance of cars, uniforms, scheduling many other tasks. My many years of law enforcement have enabled me to develop working relationships with many other agencies at the local and state level to help fight the criminal element here inside Banks County since neither crime nor criminals care where county lines start or stop. Why are you the most qualified person for this position? My background has enabled me to identify with all aspects of the law enforcement profession from the ground up! My ability to adapt to the fast paced change of the law enforcement profession with changing laws. and expenses incurred in the future. The Banks County Jail currently houses prisoners for the U.S. Marshal’s Service and for surrounding counties, which brings in revenue to Banks County. Other revenue is gener ated through programs that are paid to the sheriff's office from inmate telephones and concessions. We are operating a Traffic Interdiction team with much success. The program has already allowed for the purchase of three much needed fully equipped patrol vehicles and various other equipment, with monies seized from drug dealers, resulting in no cost to the taxpayers of Banks County. We are constantly searching and will continue to search for grants to help offset the cost of operating the sheriff’s office. If I am re-elected, I will continue to serve Banks County with experience and insight in order to economically and effectively maintain professional law enforcement for all of the citizens of Banks County. What is the greatest challenge facing the person elect ed to this position and how would you address it? The greatest challenge facing the person elected to this position will be the continued growth that our county is facing. New businesses and residential growth will bring about a continued growth in crime and the demands placed upon this office will become greater. I plan if re-elected to this office, to utilize every resource available to us in order to bring the delivery of services of the sheriff’s office to the citizens of Banks County as effectively and efficiently as possible. What course would you like to see the county take as it grows over the next decade? I would like to see the sheriff's office continue to be able to meet the demand for services which are placed upon it every day. Law enforcement is a necessity which cannot be taken backward but it must ever move forward to meet the needs of a growing county. Today, in Banks County, the sheriff's office is a progressive, innovative and professional sheriff's office and I want to see it continue the course to help keep Banks County a safe place for families to live and raise their children. new technology which is available that is changing the way law enforcement is carried out. The ability to inte grate all of this technology into service for the citizens of Banks County. My vested interest in the children of Banks County with four children growing up in the school system. My vision as to where the Banks County Sheriff's Office needs to be with the ever-growing population and call for service that will inevitably be demanded of this office. What do you consider to be the key issues facing the campaign? If elected, what would be your plans on how to address these issues? The key issue of this campaign is how to continue to provide the citizens of Banks County with effective law enforcement with the increase of fuel prices skyrocket ing. If elected the sheriff's office would aggressively seek any and all state, local and federal grants to acquire equipment which would free up monies for fuel. Seek ways to make the sheriff's office more self sufficient work release programs and house arrest programs that pay the sheriff's office. Housing of federal inmates, boarding for other facilities, more fuel efficient patrol vehicles there are many possibilities that could be explored and if elected I will look at all possibilities. What is the greatest challenge facing the person elect ed to this position and how would you address it? The greatest challenge will be to keep the citizens of Banks County safe and informed on the current criminal issues occurring around them in their community. An informed citizen is an asset to the sheriff's office and a deterrent to criminal activity. By creating a Citizens Academy, the concerned Banks County citizen can learn the daily functions and activities that occur in the sheriff's office, therefore gaining a greater appreciation of the job carried out by the officers who are protecting their community. What course would you like to see the county take as it grows over the next decade? I would like to see the Banks County Sheriff’s Office become a leading agency in Northeast Georgia with cutting edge technology, highly trained officers, involvement in schools and community affairs and an office that the citizens of Banks County will be proud to support and be involved with. An office that is known for always doing the right thing! I want to serve all our families with RR.I.D.E. P-Professionalism. R-Respect. I-Integrity. D-Dignity. E-Empathy 30,000 high-performance trucks. Over 50,000 high-achieving employees. Making a difference one community at a time. The NEW Waste Management With a massive North American presence that includes lots of heavy-duty vehicles and hard-working individuals, is it any wonder that the NEW Waste Management is such an active member of this community? Of course, we owe our reputation for making a difference to the partnerships we’ve developed with each community we serve, to enhance its quality of life. We’re especially proud of our vigorous and growing community relations programs. We created them to support local and nationwide community organizations - including neighborhood watch programs, school activities and public lands and parks projects - that work to make the communities we share better places to live. The NEW Waste Management embraces the responsibilities of a good corporate citizen by channeling our resources into local education, community vitality and environmental awareness efforts. It’s another way we’re making a difference. One community at a time. From everyday collection to environmental protection, look to the NEW Waste Management. 706-677-2650 www.wm.com The Banks County News Get the local school church, sports and other community news delivered to your home each week! Just clip the coupon below to begin saving today over the newstand price! 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