What are the three most important issues facing Blount County in the future?

Establishing Sound Budget Management Policies: The most immediate and urgent issue is the lack of a financial management plan for the county government that will help assure long-term fiscal stability while meeting our needs, managing our debt, and keeping taxes low.

Jobs, Jobs, and Jobs: Assessing the projected growth in our population and balancing the economic development activities with that growth to assure that we keep existing good jobs and attract new jobs so our people will continue to have a high quality of life and a tax base that will sustain the services provided by the county.

Education: We need to move aggressively to provide our children with the education they will need to have fulfilling lives, and we must develop vocational education strategies that are required to meet our economic development strategies, so our citizens will have the job skills needed in our ever changing local economy.

What can I do to impact these issues?

Establishing Sound Budget Management Policies: One of the primary duties of the County Mayor is to prepare the County budget and present it to the Commission. Historically this has been done on an annualized basis in a piece meal fashion . As County Mayor I would work with all department heads to develop long-range projections on budget matters (both revenues and expenditures) and rely on proven financial planning principles to make fiscal decisions. I would also lead by example to encourage all departments to move toward zero-based budgeting. And I would initiate a program to reward employees who identify cost-saving measures.

Jobs: Our population has increased steadily for several decades, it is reasonable to expect that trend to continue. That means continued residential development and the need for more jobs for our residents. Tax revenues from residential development are usually inadequate to cover costs of services associated with that development. Therefore we must expand our commercial and industrial development efforts to provide the quality jobs our people need and to provide the revenues our County needs for essential services. As County Mayor I would work closely with our economic development groups to assure that we are partnering with our existing businesses to help them remain successful and keep existing jobs in place. An integral part of this effort will be to support vocational training for young people and adults so local workers are prepared and qualified for those existing jobs. Another major thrust will be to identify strategic focus areas for economic development that are consistent with the resources available in this area.

Education: We elect a school board to manage the operation of our public schools and they hire a director of schools to implement the programs to facilitate the education of our children. However the County Mayor can play a significant role in the educational system by working with the school board on fiscal matters, building public support for education initiatives, and recognizing educational achievements. As County Mayor I will support academic camps and will encourage stronger parental support of education. I will also encourage increased use of local talent as volunteers in the classroom to assist teachers.