Now in a re-election campaign, Bulloch County Commissioner Toby Conner of District 2, Seat B, observes that the county has made progress on extending public safety infrastructure into the rural areas. He acknowledges that the commissioners are contending with growth while struggling to fund services and limit taxes.

Conner was elected in 2022 when he won a runoff in what was originally a three-candidate race. Now he is in another three-person race, with Frank Bedell III and Dr. Ted Redman both challenging him for Board of Commissioners Seat 2-B on the May 19 Republican primary ballot.

Early voting starts Monday, April 27 and continues Monday-Friday until May 15, and is also available two Saturdays, May 2 and May 9. Voters in Commission District 2 – which actually includes about two-thirds of the county – will decide this race, either in the May 19 vote count or in a June 16 runoff between the top two vote-getters.

When he first ran for the seat four years ago, Conner identified managing growth and improving infrastructure and services as top issues.

“Those have turned out to be the majority of all the issues,” Conner said in an interview last week. “You know, growth is still an issue; it’s going to be an issue from here on out until this boom decides to quit or the market lets it quit. People want to come to Bulloch County. That’s part of it.”

By his count a fifth-generation farmer, Conner, 41, farms and resides in the Stilson-Leefield area. In earlier years – before he ran the first time – he had worked 17 years for the Georgia Ports Authority as a stevedore.

His wife, Kelsey Conner, is CEO and owner of the Brooklet-based manufacturing company American Aero. They have two children, now ages 12 and 6.

Costly services

Asked how far he feels the commissioners have succeeded on those core issues, Toby Conner observed that planning and striving “can only achieve what the (tax) digest allows, what the money allows.”

“As far as getting the 911 services … into the rural areas, anything to do with your 911 services is very expensive,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about a building or you’re talking about a fire truck or an ambulance or a police car or the uniforms they wear, it doesn’t matter. It’s all very, very expensive.”

The Bulloch County Fire Department has been greatly expanded in the past two years. Since mid-2025 the BCFD provides primary fire response to the former “five-mile district” outside the Statesboro city limits that was previously served by the Statesboro Fire Department.

But the BCFD has also expanded in other directions, with several previously volunteer stations now staffed 24/7 with career firefighters. With some building renovations, the Emergency Medical Service, previously based only in Statesboro and Brooklet, has been co-located with fire stations in Register, Portal and, most recently, Stilson.

“So it’s been a struggle, but I think we’ve accomplished a lot, getting it here, and hope to accomplish more,” Conner said. “We hope to be able to have the entire county where they can enjoy the same things that people that live closer to municipalities get to enjoy.”

Supplying all of the fire stations with an ambulance and crew is a major goal, according to Conner.

“That’s huge out in the county, you know, not to wait 45 minutes to get an ambulance to you when you need it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Noel Brown and the Sheriff’s Office have expanded the school resource officer program to place deputies in every one of the public county schools – and one private school at its expense – during the school year. The Board of Commissioners have supported this, with the Board of Education also paying a share, of course also from taxes.

“When I say ‘we,’ I don’t intend to say ‘me,’ and it’s the people in this county who have done it, and they deserve a pat on the back for making their way of life better,” Conner said.

Taxation issues

The commissioners increased their general millage rate 1.5 mills in 2023 but then reduced it by the same face value, 1.5 mills, the next year, back to 11.35 mills.

Millage rates are one factor in property tax dollar amounts, the other being property values as determined by the separate Board of Assessors based on sold prices of local real estate.

Last year it was the school board – not the commissioners – who enacted a substantial millage rate increase. But the commissioners did not adopt a “rollback rate,” instead holding their millage the same and taking advantage of a 6.5% increase from inflation while also spending from their fund balance reserves to cover added personnel and other expenses.

“People have said that they’re going to lower taxes and been elected on that basis, but I haven’t seen it happen,” Conner said.

“People get mad at us, claim that we don’t know how to manage money. Well, you can look at that two different ways,” he added. “The reason the budget is such a big topic every single year is because we manage it that close. We only try to take from the citizens what we have to, to operate and provide services in our lawful duties that the county is supposed to do.”

He thinks “it’s going to be very, very hard to maintain the same,” taxes for fiscal 2027 against factors such as the soaring price of diesel fuel.

Anything else?

Conner expressed appreciation for other county officials and employees.

“I would like to thank all the elected officials and all the staff on our county,” he said. “I still truly believe we have one of the greatest staffs anywhere in Georgia. I think they really hold the line.”

He said he would also ask that citizens remember “commissioners are humans too” and to talk to them on that basis when they have concerns.

“We’re just like everybody else that’s trying to raise kids and keep them safe and give them an education and make a living all at the same time,” he said.

The Statesboro Herald will call on candidates Redman and Bedell for interviews next week.

Early voting

For the May 19 party general primaries and nonpartisan general election the one place to vote early in-person in Bulloch County is the Board of Elections and Registration Office, in the County Annex at 113 North Main St., Suite 201, Statesboro.

It will be open to voters 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday beginning April 27 and ending May 15, and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on two Saturdays, May 2 and May 9.