The following candidate announcement was submitted by Danny Barksdale, a Republican running for Limestone County Commission District 2. The News Courier will publish candidate announcements as we receive them and as space allows ahead of the March 3 primary election. They should be no longer than 700 words and emailed to adam@athensnews-courier.com. Announcements will be edited for length, grammar, style and content.

After careful thought and prayer, I have decided to seek the office of Limestone County Commissioner District 2.

I did not make this decision lightly, and I humbly ask for your consideration. I am a committed Christian, and am running for office because I care about the people of Limestone County and the future of our community.

I am committed to standing up for, and being a voice for, the people of District 2. Far too often the people are overlooked in the political landscape. Politicians are more interested in unelected bureaucrats, special interest groups and big business than they are in serving the average citizens they are supposed to represent. I am not that kind of candidate and never will be.

There are a lot of things I hope to accomplish as county commissioner, but some of my main targets include:

Improving roads and infrastructure

Our county’s infrastructure is one of the biggest issues affecting the future of our community. Safe, well-built roads and bridges are not only important to the citizens of District 2, but are also vital to our ability to attract new jobs and new businesses to our area. Roads across Limestone County can and should be improved.

Encouraging responsible spending

Limestone County is currently $14 million in debt, and I believe that is $14 million too much. I am an outspoken fiscal conservative, and I think my background in the private sector and business administration would be very useful in bringing a fiscally responsible approach to county government. I firmly believe we should be cutting wasteful spending instead of raising taxes, and that we should be balancing our budgets instead of adding more debt.

Government transparency

I think we need a lot more transparency and a lot more integrity in government today. The county’s books should be open and easily accessible to every citizen of Limestone County. I would like to video-stream county commission work sessions as is already done with the regular meetings.

I would also like to move some of our County Commission meetings to an evening schedule. This would allow working men and women the chance to attend and address the commission without being forced to take time off from their jobs.

A vision for the future

Limestone County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the state, and with that growth comes a great deal of responsibility. I believe we need to be proactive in planning for the future. County government should not only stay ahead of our growing infrastructure needs, but also have a plan for our schools and other community services. A well-organized plan will ensure we are not surprised into making mistakes, or forced into further county debt.

My number one goal is serving the people of District 2. As a husband and father, I am invested in the future we are leaving for the next generation. I want to help Limestone County be a safe, successful and strong community moving forward. It was an honor for me to serve my country in the U.S. Army, and if elected, I will bring that same commitment of honor, service and duty to the County Commission. That is, and always will be, my commitment to you.

About Barksdale

Barksdale is a lifelong resident of Limestone County and graduated from East Limestone High School. After graduation he joined the United States Army Security Agency for four years and trained to be a Communication Center Specialist. Responsibilities of that job were the preparation, encryption and transmittal of military messages.

He was stationed in Tuslog Det 27, Ankara, Turkey; the National Security Agency, Ft. Meade, Maryland; and the National Security Agency, Anchorage, Alaska.

He holds a degree in business administration from The University of Montevallo. During his career he held the positions of accounts receivable clerk, staff accountant, credit manager, distribution sales manager and national accounts sales manager.