GVACC holds Candidate Meet and Greet for upcoming election

By KADIE TAYLOR

THE LAFAYETTE SUN

CHAMBERS COUNTY — The Greater Valley Area Chamber of Commerce held a Candidate Meet and Greet at the Valley Community Center on Thursday, April 30. 

GVACC Executive Director Carrie Wood shared her excitement for the event and the communication it offers for constituents and candidates. 

“I think for the candidates, it gives them the opportunity to take that one-on-one time with everyone in the community without having to go out to them,” she said. “I think it’s a plus for them [that the GVACC has held this event] to bring locals in and give them that opportunity. As far as the community goes, it’s an opportunity for them to come to one place, and they can take their questions and ask every one of the candidates that they’re interested in the same questions, take that home, study that and make an educated decision [to vote in the Primary Elections on] May 19.”

Seventeen candidates attended the event, running for seven elected positions. The candidates shared information about their campaigns and why they are running for their respective positions. 

State Senate for District 13

GERALD DIAL

“District 13 includes Clay, Cleburne, Randolph, Chambers and most of Eastern Lee County, which includes Salem and Smiths Station,” he said. “So it’s a very large district. I’ve served this district before, and I became concerned about this district regressing from where it had been, and so I decided to make an attempt to come back to the legislature and give them a strong, proven voice in the Alabama State Senate.”

RANDY PRICE

“I’m your state senator, and I am running for reelection for District 13, and looking forward to continuing to get out, meet the people and continue to work for the people,” he said. “I’ve never asked people to elect me to a position; I’ve asked them to elect me so I can continue to work for them on May 19. So, that’s what we’re working for. Alabama, we have done a great job in the last few years as far as increasing education. One of the biggest things that I have worked on is in our trade schools here in Chambers County, and also across the district. Because we firmly believe that it’s really simple, we take the knowledge that those young people learn in the classroom and take it to the job site, and that increases the ability of having good workers here in the state and also in District 13.”

State Representative for District 37

JEFF MONROE

“All I’ve ever done is serve people,” he said. “I’m a retired firefighter and fire chief, did 30 years municipal, and I’ve been doing that for 45 years now. So my whole life, all I ever did was get up when people had their worst day and try to help them. That’s all I want to do, is help everybody in my district. There are a lot of issues in House District 37, people need help and my whole goal is to get in there, listen to the people, work with the people and try to help make their lives better, their lives safer, the schools better, their kids’ lives better, add more jobs and all those things. I’m not doing it just as buzz words; I’m doing it because I really want to serve people.”

DONNA BAILEY MCKAY

“I am seeking the House of Representatives seat because I think I am truly the most qualified for this,” she said. “I have been the mayor of the town of Wadley for 10 years, and I’m presently in that position. I’m a retired educator of 33 years, and I have been working with the government for these years. I would just love to work and serve the people in this district, and I will work as hard for everybody in this district as I have worked for the town of Whatley.”

JOHN JACOBS 

“I’ve been the superintendent in Randolph County, and this is my third term,” he said. “I have 40 years in education. The strong areas that I support are rural fire departments, education, rural health and just doing things for our area to keep our area growing. Lee County is growing, and that really is helping Chambers and Randolph County, as far as our populations, to where we have good-paying jobs, and our people can stay at home where they grew up and have a good job.”

State Representative for District 38

HAZEL FLOYD

“I’m running primarily to help protect the teachers in my area,” she said. “My area covers Chambers and Lee County, so not much of LaFayette, but a little bit of LaFayette is in my district,” she said. “I’m running to protect teachers and trying to get some infrastructure going in Chambers County. There are a lot of old houses, but not enough funding to help get them torn down so they can get new businesses brought in. So that’s one of the big things for my campaign.”

CHRISTOPHER F. DAVIS

“I expect to actually take this through the finish line, all because of the motive, in terms of why I’m actually running,” he said. “So that there’ll be changes and things for the bettermentation throughout Chambers County. So we can actually build the bridge, what have you, as opposed to crossing the river. And it’s going to be a multi-faceted thing in terms of education, infrastructure and implementing certain social entities to where it’s actually bridging the gap more on a conglomerate basis.”

Chambers County Commission for District 3

JAMES WILLIAMS 

“I just want to keep Chambers County moving forward,” he said. “That’s my that’s my goal. Just keep Chambers County moving forward.”

JOHN BENEFIELD  

“I’m running to make a better path forward for Chambers County,” he said. 

Chambers County Commission for District 5

SARA CRUTCHFIELD

“I am running for this seat so that I can serve my community at a different level, and I want it to be at the decision-making table for the future of Chambers County,” she said. “I hope that locals show up to vote on May 19.”

JAMES TOBY BOYD

“I’m running for the people,” he said. “I’m not a politician, I’m for the people only, so we make some changes in the people’s way.”

Chambers County Board of Education for District 4

JODY JENNINGS

“I’m currently the board member for District 4 on the Chambers County School Board,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to being reseeded or keeping my seat, and looking forward to building a new school that’s coming. So right now, we’re just waiting for one final state approval and hopefully will be breaking ground soon.”

MARY TERRY

“What I would like to do is be able to help teachers, advocate for teachers and advocate for children,” she said. “The biggest thing for me is us looking after our children and making sure they have everything that they need in the classroom, what they need to learn in a safe environment, help with our resource officers and just make schools safe in the best [way we can]. It does take a village to raise children. And also, I want to see parents more involved when we get into high school. We don’t see as many parents involved as we do in the elementary part of it.”

Chambers County Coroner

SAM THROWER

“I’m a longtime resident, lifetime resident, of Chambers County,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to serving the people of Chambers County.”

DAVID SMITH

“I’ve been one of the two deputy coroners for the last four years, bonded and certified as a deputy coroner through the state of Alabama,” he said. “The reason I’m doing it is, I’m in law enforcement now, and I’m planning on retiring out, but I want to give back to my community as long as I can. I want to treat everybody the exact same way I would like my family treated in a time of death as well.”

LEVI RICHARDSON

“I’ve been a deputy coroner for five years, serving the county in that capacity,” he said. “Jeff has decided he’s not going to run, so he’s asked me if I would be interested, and I gladly accepted that. So here I am running, trying to do the best for Chambers County, going to continue to serve them and hopefully grow the coroner’s office.”

GLENN JOHNSON

“I believe that integrity and compassion are well, well, well deserved, and being in this job, I have that,” he said. “I’ve had some tragic moments in my life where I’ve actually had to pick up family members that had traumatic injuries and have actually passed away, and I was the one to work on them. So, I know what compassion and integrity are. I pray with my people when they ask me to pray with them on the scene. Being a deputy coroner, I’ve done this many, many times. I’ve been a paramedic for 27 years. I have been a deputy coroner for 15, and I would certainly appreciate everybody’s vote for me because my definition of integrity is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking.”