The following is a Question-and-Answer column with the candidates who are running for the office of Jones County supervisor. A Q&A form was sent to each of the candidates, but a few did not respond, some of which included the independent candidates who will not appear on the ballot until November.
Sitting supervisors Danny Roy Spradley (Beat 2) and Jerome Wyatt (Beat 5) both made decisions to not seek reelection this year.
Five questions were sent to each supervisor candidate. Their responses will appear by Beat (1-5) and by the order the candidates appeared on the 2019 Qualifying Candidates list obtained from the Jones County Circuit Clerk’s Office. The updated list from the Circuit Clerk’s Office reveals that Gary D. Blackledge (Beat 2) and George Clark (Beat 5) withdrew from their respective supervisor races. The responses from each candidate was limited, due to space constraints in the paper.
From Beat 3, Jessie James Maxey (R) chose to not participate in this voter forum.
Please remember to vote on Tuesday, August 6, and then remember to vote again on Tuesday, August 27, if there are any run-offs in Jones County.
Beat 3
Question 1: “Why are you running for the office of supervisor in Jones County?”
*Phil Dickerson (R) response: My candidacy for Jones County Supervisor Beat 3 stems on my belief that the growth of Jones County needs to be addressed, and as a small business owner I know and understand the need for improvements and adjustments to address the most pertinent issues, including the need for improved roads and bridges and the management of the budget to ensure that Jones County residents receive the most for their tax dollars. In my life’s experience, I have had many challenges and with each challenge I have gained experience and knowledge that can benefit the economics and issues that are presented on a daily basis.
*Barry E. Saul (R - Incumbent) response: I, along with my family, have a long history of serving the citizens of this county. I value the time of serving others. I believe it takes good people to do great things and I am still committed to that. My wife and I have two young teenage children, and all I ever wanted for them was to have the opportunity, if they so choose, to stay here in Jones County and work and build a family. It takes a strong economy that can provide good jobs or the opportunity to be an entrepreneur. I have and will always provide support for a strong economy.
*Randy Norwood (R) response: I am running for the office of supervisor because I truly care about the citizens of Jones County. As a land owner and taxpayer, I understand the burden of funding the budget is on us. The board needs someone advocating for the taxpayer. I truly believe it does not take a tax increase to provide the services the county needs.
*Johnny Wright (R) response: I am a candidate for Beat 3 Supervisor because it is time for a supervisor to have experience in most, if not all aspects, of the job. The citizens deserve a supervisor with experience operating a business, a proven record of supervising multi-million dollar projects, working with architects and engineers, knowing how to conduct business in the meeting room and field, adhering to the proper bid processes, and knowing how to multi-task while working numerous employees.
*Donald D. Holifield (I) response: I am Donald Holifield. I’m married to Vicki. We have five children and one grandson. We are
members of Millcreek Church. I’m running because I have over 30 years of highway and bridge construction experience. I have built over 140 miles of four-lane highway and many miles of two-lane highway. I served as supervisor during the years of 1996-2000. We paved many roads, built bridges, and replaced culverts. During this time, the Magnolia Center and parking lot were built at the fairgrounds. We also helped purchase 18 new fire trucks for the entire county and built a new county barn, all while lowering taxes.
Question 2: “If elected what will be your first priority for the voters of Jones County?”
*Phil Dickerson (R) response: My first priority would be the road and bridge issues and to establish a yearly service plan and a balanced budget that benefits all aspects of the county to get the most out of Jones County’s tax dollars.
*Barry E. Saul (R - Incumbent) response: I stand on my record of hard work and my commitment to every community. I am dedicated to a fair and consistent response to all the citizens of Beat 3. I value the challenges of being a local public servant and all the successes and failures that have provided me the knowledge to be better. My priorities will remain the same. I will continue to fight for every dollar for Beat 3 and continue to serve with a strong desire to make all communities the best they can be.
*Randy Norwood (R) response: If elected, I will evaluate all agencies that fall under me, including the Board of Supervisors, and make sure they are operating as efficiently as they can and utilizing funds appropriately. I feel it is important to have transparency throughout departments to ensure that the taxpayers’ dollars are being used in the most cost-effective way to best serve the public.
*Johnny Wright (R) response: If elected my first priority will be to evaluate the roads and bridges in Beat 3 and start putting together a 5-, 10-, 15- and 20-year plan to repair our dysfunctional roads and bridges. The repairs will have to start as soon as monies are available, not just at election time. I will analyze the budget to ensure money is being spent properly and in the areas of greatest need.
*Donald D. Holifield (I) response: I am running for supervisor of Beat 3 to fix our relationship with the Federal Highway Administration and the Mississippi Department of Transportation so that we may get more help repairing and getting our roads and bridges up to standards. Our local taxpayers should not face this burden alone.
Question 3: “Do you think the road and bridge issue in Jones County has been handled as well as possible by the current Board of Supervisors? Why or why not?”
*Phil Dickerson (R) response: Bridge maintenance is an issue I would like to improve upon by overseeing the bridge inspectors to work toward correcting existing and future issues.
*Barry E. Saul (R - Incumbent) response: I will continue to carry out our road and bridge program that has successfully repaved over 200 miles of public roads, replaced 15 bridges and box culverts, and made it possible to perform many day-to-day maintenance issues that have touched every community from Sandersville to Ovett. Along with the many advances in infrastructure, we have built two new community centers, remodeled three community centers, and built two playgrounds and walking tracks that were paid for by local money and grant funding. If re-elected, I promise to continue to be your full-time supervisor, work hard and remain dedicated the way that I have over the past 16 years.
*Randy Norwood (R) response: No it hasn’t. This has been an ongoing problem for at least ten years. The state allocated funds to be used for road and bridge maintenance and repairs, yet that didn’t happen. It took involvement from the state level to force the county supervisors to fix the issues. Even then they weren’t repaired to specifications, and more money had to be spent to redo what should have been done right the first time. During these bridge closures, some families had to be reimbursed financially for transporting their children to school since the buses could not get on their road.
*Johnny Wright (R) response: I do not think the road and bridge issue was handled well. The supervisors decided not to hire an engineer to design the fixes of the shut-down bridges. I have worked with numerous structural engineers that design weight loads on a bridge. When the engineer was left out of the process, safety was still an issue, so some of the bridges was shut down for a second time. The current supervisors recently borrowed $9.2 million to pay contractors to rework some of these bridges and pave certain roads at election time. I have the experience to know when to hire an engineer.
*Donald D. Holifield (I) response: No, it has not been handled properly by the Board of Supervisors. There was not a plan in place and that is why it has become neglected and currently in terrible condition. We will need a short term plan and a long term plan in place so that everything can be done properly and not just temporarily patched up. Patching is a waste of taxpayer money. I would personally work to get more federal and state money. My plan is for Beat 3 and Jones County to prioritize paving roads and fixing bridges annually and not just right before elections.
Question 4: “If the next elected sheriff of Jones County asks for an increase in his budget to help protect the citizens of Jones County, how will you handle that request if you are elected supervisor?”
*Phil Dickerson (R) response: First of all, I am pro law enforcement. If elected Beat 3 supervisor, I would refrain from supporting any sheriff budget increases without proper support and improvement on the budget structure that is in place. I cannot promise an increase in the sheriff’s budget without reviewing all budgetary purchases, which is not saying I will vote to increase the budget; it is a promise to review and analyze the sheriff’s budget. I would encourage the sheriff to help reach the goals needed to manage the Sheriff’s Department in the most efficient manner. The board needs to be proficient with the spending of the people’s tax dollars.
*Barry E. Saul (R - Incumbent) response: Again, I stand on my record of conservative governing. As with any budget increase, requested revenue has to be raised, shifted from other departments or taken from a rainy-day fund that most counties call overall surplus. The reason the government needs a strong surplus is because it affects the government’s ability to borrow funds at a low interest rate. The best solution to a large budget increase requested is a ballot measure to let the taxpayers decide.
*Randy Norwood (R) response: The most important role of the Board of Supervisors is to provide adequate funding to ensure public safety. I would look at the budget request, question the necessity of the request, and make an educated, informed decision on what could or should be done. I believe the approach to finding a solution is for all involved to work together to accomplish what needs to be done to better serve and protect our citizens without raising taxes.
*Johnny Wright (R) response: The safety and protection of Jones County’s citizens is vital. I am in favor of adequately funding the needs of our Sheriff’s Department. The current supervisors recently borrowed $9.2 million to rework the second round of bridge closures and repave certain roads at election time. We must be better stewards of the taxpayer’s money. We must find solutions to our budgeting problems while fixing our roads, reducing our debt, and providing adequate protection to all citizens.
*Donald D. Holifield (I) response: Any elected or appointed official that requests more than a 10% increase, especially a 40%-50% increase, should be voted on by taxpayers.
Question 5: “The current Jones County budget exceeds $46 million. Do you think there are ways to reduce the budget? If yes, how would you reduce the budget?”
*Phil Dickerson (R) response: With a budget that exceeds $46 million dollars, there is always ways to improve upon the budget. Analyzing current spending would be a priority; allocating tax dollars in areas that are pertinent to run Jones County would be another priority. Jones County’s people deserve to have their county improved upon and run with the best management that seeks to reach goals that are realistic to the growth and economy of Jones County.
*Barry E. Saul (R - Incumbent) response: As your current Beat 3 supervisor, I have faced this question many times. My experience has given me an in-depth knowledge of county taxation. Roads and bridges, law enforcement, the 911 dispatch center, the court system, volunteer fire departments, and community centers are just some of the services that the county provides. These services are important to the citizens and it is always a challenge to match the citizens’ needs with a level of taxation that they can afford.
*Randy Norwood (R) response: Yes, the budget could be reduced by not spending so much on overpriced used equipment and possibly even sharing equipment among different beats instead of each beat having their own of everything. I would also see if there are ways to trim expenses within agencies such as being proactive with maintenance and repairs which would alleviate excessive spending on large problems down the road.
*Johnny Wright (R) response: There are ways to reduce our budget. We must start by prioritizing our expenses, cut wasteful spending, and analyze expenditures to see if money is spent on things that we shouldn’t use taxpayer’s dollars for. The citizens of Jones County work too hard for their money. As your supervisor, I will make sure we protect that hard-earned tax dollar and provide better services at lower cost.
*Donald D. Holifield (I) response: We could reduce taxes by: 1) new growth in homes and businesses; 2) cutting waste by fixing bridges and roads right one time with no patching; 3) getting more state and federal money for roads and bridges, and 4) cutting out tax exempt status for some businesses. I will work hard to lower taxes, and I am the only candidate proven to lower taxes.