— Name:  Rex Davis

Age:  59

Personal: Wife, Rhonda; sons, Thomas 18, a senior at Athens High School, Eric and wife Dolly; and two grandkids, Sean, 14, and Allana, 11 months.

Civic or volunteer affiliations: Vice chairman of the Limestone Republican Executive Committee; I actively participate in all levels of our government — city, county, state and federal — as an advocate of personal property rights and good government.

Educational background: Vocational and technical studies to include four years of vocational agriculture with supplemental courses at junior college in law enforcement, fire sciences and aviation until achieving early high school graduation; Continuing education in technical programs as required maintaining or advancing my technical skills with self-remediation in academic areas as I deemed necessary. Attended Mt. San Jacinto Junior College, Calhoun Community College and Wallace State Community College.



•  What do you see as the biggest challenge facing District 2 and what plans do you have to address the issue?

The reduction or suspension of federal and state government programs (money) that we have depended on for several generations to supplement our local governments. Accept these facts by planning and using those available resources wisely.

The aggressive annexation of Huntsville into Limestone County — the only thing our commission can do is educate people and keep pressure on Huntsville to provide police, fire and schools equal to or better than those facilities in Huntsville’s Madison County. I dread the day all of East Limestone is Huntsville city. I wish we had taken the wise advice of Judge Mike Davis and established a metro government 10 years ago.



• The upkeep of Limestone County’s roads and bridges is obviously an important part of being a county commissioner. What will you do to ensure taxpayer money is efficiently spent on projects?

Reduce the cost of operation by advancing the unit system of road management and use those savings for roads and bridges. We must face the facts that federal and state money will be hard to get. By pooling the county resources and optimizing the utilization of our equipment and manpower we can reduce our operating cost and put those savings towards roads and bridges.

The county engineering department currently inspects, evaluates and plans all major and intermediate projects with the expenditure and project approval of the commissioners.  How many motor graders, excavators and three-axel dumps does the county require and what projects are best for our county as a whole? Who is best educated and trained to make civil engineering decisions to maintain our roads and bridges. 

Dividing the road and gas tax money equally between the four districts suggests that all the roads and bridges are equal and we know that is not the case. Let’s operate smart and not politically.



• All taxpayer money spent by the commission is open to public scrutiny. What specific ideas do you have regarding government transparency and what steps would you take to ensure the public is aware of how taxpayer dollars are spent?

Very important issue, however, I have never been denied access to information to include private consultation with my commissioner and the chairman. All of our sitting commissioners are more than willing to discuss any public project or expenditure. If we can securely and economically provide this via Internet, OK. If it requires additional cost, then I would not support the idea. The best methods and source must remain with the media and individual participation in civics; all questions should be answered.



• Two large-scale projects being undertaken by the commission include the renovation of the courthouse and expansion of the jail. The county has also committed funds to building a new library on South Jefferson Street. As commissioner, what steps will you take to ensure these projects are completed within budget parameters and in a timely manner?

I worked very hard to advance the courthouse renovation project and would like to commend the commission for taking steps that will make our judicial system more efficient and safe.

Any project large or small requires each commissioner to do his or her homework. The most import decision will always be the professional management team overseeing the projects. Very few county commissioners have the expertise to supervise these projects, so the choice of project management and a solid legal contract with proper provisions is the answer. My strong points are doing my homework, digging deep into the facts and asking questions until satisfied.

I have two concerns with the proposed library: Why do we need a library almost four times larger than our existing library and can the proposed library operating cost be met within the current county budget commitment without any increase?

If these questions cannot be answered and accepted before any required approval by the county commission, I would not support proceeding. Lay these questions and answers in the sunshine for all of our taxpayers to see.



• Though the county declared an end to tornado debris cleanup operations, debris remains an issue in waterways and the county’s skyline is riddled with jagged, broken trees. What steps will you take to help return Limestone County to its pre-April 27 state?

I will do anything within the Code of Alabama and our limited financial constraints to help victims of any and all community disasters. 

In most cases, our hands are bound by state law, legal restrictions to county equipment use on private property and road and gas tax monies that cannot be used. A wavier may be the answer, but I realistically don’t see how.

Much or the roadway debris remains in District 2 because property owners or their agents failed to follow the guidelines established by FEMA, the Corps of Engineers and the County Commission. I wish I had good news on this important issue but I don’t.

Private property rights come with personal responsibility; asking government to help in private property matters often result in government having control over your property.

I discussed the waterway issue with the chairman Menefee; it appears funding will be made available to remove debris from our waterways. This debris is a major safety issue, as it can damage bridges, culverts and roads.