Hollis Hogan

Editor’s note: This is the fifth in a series of stories covering the responses of political candidates for local, county and state offices to questions posed at the recent political forum at Athens State University. Candidates had only one minute to respond to each question.

Candidates

• Jason Black, Clements High School teacher, coach, volunteer, Athens 

• Hollis Hogan, former sheriff, Athens

• Adam Hutchins, degree in math education, Athens. (Hutchins was unable to attend the forum.)

• Curtis Turner, degree in mechanical engineering and business, retired TVA, Athens  

Question: What do you see as the biggest single issue facing District 3 and what steps would you take to address the issue?

Turner: The biggest single issue I see right now following the disaster that just occurred with the tornado is that there are not enough tornado shelters located in District 3. Limestone County is above the average for a tornado. It is 4.6 times greater here in Limestone County to have a tornado or an incident like that as opposed to any other city in the United States. So for me, the safety of the residents — not only in District 3 but also in Limestone County — should be one of the top priorities as we go forward.

Black: I believe the biggest issue we have in District 3 is leadership. We need accountability for the things that are being done or not being done. We need someone who represents the citizens at every table we have a seat at. I believe it is the commissioner’s responsibility to ensure that the roads and the bridges and the drainage ditches and such are taken care of, but that’s not the job of the commissioner anymore. That’s the job of someone who you appoint as a foreman in your crew. It’s not the guy who runs the backhoe or the guy who gets down in the ditches with them, because we hire people to do that. Today, we need someone to go to Montgomery, someone to go to Washington, D.C., to acquire money someone to be a voice for the people and appropriate the funds to improve the lives of Limestone County citizens.

Hogan: Most of the growth that is going on in Limestone County is going on right now in District 3. We need to get out and find some industry and bring some revenue in here. That is our biggest problem — revenue.

Question: The current fiscal year budget for District 3 provides more than $875,000 in general gasoline-tax funds and more than $412,000 in restricted gasoline-tax funds. Explain what methods you will use to ensure taxpayer funds are spent wisely within your district?

Turner: We need to use them on our roads. Because our roads are just like all the roads in all the other districts. They need upkeep. It cost approximately $10,000 to chip seal a road, which is tar and gravel. It costs approximately $100,000 to use plant mix. Plant mix is the smooth surface that a lot of us have grown accustomed to. You can’t pave very many roads with $100,000. That $100,000 will get you roughly one mile. So, looking at all the mileage in Limestone County — there are 570 square miles of road — that is not very much.

Black: That’s not that much money. People think it is.  First thing we’ve got to do is to promote economic development to bring more revenue in. We’re not going to be able to do anything with only $800,000 and some odd dollars. We’re not going to be able to do anything with $2 million. We need to eliminate the unnecessary spending. We need to find a way to cut the budget. There is no specific department that needs a cut in my opinion because I haven’t been there to look and see what they’re getting for their dollar. We need to have comprehensive planning. We don’t need to go in there half loaded and do something without properly talking about it. That’s the entire purpose of having the commission and not having one man do it. The four of us need to get together along with the chairman and we need to find out that best way to improve the lives of the citizens of Limestone County and the best way to increase our revenue.

Hogan: I don’t know how this money is budgeted. We have to get revenue in here other than raising taxes. We need some more money for our county. The one thing I pledge to do is drive the roads and, with the help of the other commissioners, try to get jobs. Retail is good, but I would like to see some industry.

Question for Black: What steps will you take to ensure the transparency of the office? Provide details.

Black: These are public records, so it is not like I can hide them under the table. I think you should have events where you can go out and speak to the communities you represent. The Swancott area, they have issues. Reid has issues. Clements. Then the city of Athens, you have to work with the City Council in certain situations and I don’t think there is any one thing you can do. I think the one thing that should be done that may not be able to be done unless you put forth the effort is to make sure everyone knows that their money is being spent wisely. And the money is not being spent on some oblivious thing that 5 or 10 years down the road we can say we made a great buy right there. We need to make sure we are spending the money we have right now wisely.

Question for Turner: Where do you stand on the commission’s decision to purchase the site of the former L&S shopping center on North Jefferson Street? In your opinion, what should be done with the property?

Turner: Even though it was probably a bad idea … we really have to look at the possibility for the future. Because, if industry is supposed to come into Limestone County, they’re going to need someplace, too. If the property is maintained correctly, there won’t be any need to send companies over to Huntsville or Decatur because they don’t have anyplace to go. There will be property already here. Once someone buys property up, someone else wants to come in to develop a business or a company. What are you going to do then, try to buy some more property someplace else at an astronomical or highly inflated cost? You have to look at the future, and that is what I would like to do with this.

Question for Hogan: Given the District 3 sustained the most substantial damage in the April 28 tornado, do you personally believe more community shelters are need? Would you be in favor of using county funds to pay for those, as opposed to waiting for FEMA grants?

Hogan: Whichever one you could get first. This is a must. Everybody needs a storm shelter. The county should take care of it.