With the election just about down to the wire, Bulloch County Board of Commissioners Seat 2D candidates Carlos Brown Jr. and Timmy Rushing are both ready for the day to come.
Both men said they have been actively campaigning and believe their life experiences will help them serve Bulloch County residents in positive ways.
“The campaign is going well,” Brown said. “But you never know until the end. I have some solid support, and my platform resonates with some voters.”
Rushing said he has also had a positive response from people and hopes “Republicans get out and vote.” He said he feels by this time in the game, people have already made their decisions as for whom they will vote.
Both men have said their years of experience make them good candidates. Rushing has been a self-employed business owner for 35 years. Brown, a former volunteer firefighter, has worked in management at Georgia Southern University for 17 years.
Brown feels Bulloch County can “do better” in maintaining dirt roads. He also said he would like to see more business come to the area.
“Bulloch is ideal for many large industries and businesses, and there is plenty of space waiting,” he said.
Rushing agrees that economic matters should remain in the forefront with the commission.
“I would like to see reputable businesses come into Bulloch County that would create more jobs,” he said.
A major concern with Brown is solid waste.
“We should continue to educate the public on proper trash disposal and dumping sites. We also need to better enforce issuing citations and fines for illegal dumping,” he said. “Moving forward, managed and secured facilities would also help combat this problem.”
Rushing also wants to see progress and improvement in the county’s solid waste handling, but he said that while improvements are necessary, he wants to see balance between expenses and income.
One of the biggest challenges Rushing feels the commission faces is “trying to maintain services without raising taxes,” he said. Bulloch County has a record of avoiding tax hikes if possible, and he said he feels this is a major concern of taxpayers.
Both candidates said they hope to see a better working relationship between city and county government.
“One of Bulloch County’s biggest challenges is the relationship between the cities and the county,” Brown said. “Bulloch County contains Brooklet, Register and Portal as well as Statesboro. When it comes to sharing of SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) funds, the City Council and county commissioners should focus on what is best for all citizens they serve. I think a joint meeting at least once a year would help foster a positive relationship between the cities and the county, resulting in better alignment.”
Rushing also said improvement in communication between government entities would be beneficial.
“Both city and county governments should have more open discussions on issues and challenges both governments are facing,” he said. “Officials should be willing to work together to resolve any issues.”
Rushing and Brown will face off in the Nov. 6 election, joining four other Bulloch County commission candidates: incumbent Walter Gibson (Republican) and challenger Adrienne Dobbs (Democrat) for Seat 2B, and incumbent Anthony Simmons (Democrat) and challenger W. Scott Brannen (Republican) for Seat 1B.
Herald reporter Holli Deal Saxon may be reached at (912) 489-9414.