Qualifying for all five council seats and mayor began in Register Monday morning and six residents were there at 9 a.m. when the Town Hall doors opened.
At 10 a.m. each council seat and the position of mayor had a candidate qualified to run.
On hand to deliver the necessary paperwork was Mayor Katie O'Grady.
“I'm pleased to see the civic engagement of our citizens,” O'Grady said.
One resident who requested anonymity said, “It's time for a change; time to stir the pot again.” To which another resident added, “And to quit dipping from the pot.”
Qualifying for council, lifelong resident, Barbara Rushing Threatt, said she believes that mayor and council are the mechanics by which the citizens of Register obtain their goals and needs.
“It's time we return to the basics and return the voice to the citizens,” Threatt said. “The goals and needs of the community may be obtained without unnecessary monetary hardship placed on our residents.”
Another lifelong resident who qualified for Council is Donnie Roberts. Roberts said he believes strongly that the people of the community play a vital role in the town's success.
“I can remember when the people's voice mattered,” Roberts said. “The last several years have focused away from the people. We need to put citizen concerns back on the agenda.”
Roberts said the recent imposition of property taxes is a financial burden that should not have been placed on citizens.
“We use to find ways to cut back and not have to charge extra fees and taxes,” he said.
Donald Kiltz acknowledged that he has not lived in Register a long time, but is running for council because he wants to do what is right for Register.
“My biggest concern is financial, to stop the waste of money,” he said. “And I think that's the community's biggest concern.”
Kiltz said that the community can let him know what they want.
“I'm willing to listen to ideas from the community,” he said. “A good group on council will look at what the people have to say and come up with some good ideas to make Register a better place to live.”
Qualifying for two other council posts, were Ann Ross and John Foster Williams III. Ross stated simply that she wants to serve the town and the community.
Williams said, “I want to see the town go in a different direction than it has over the past several years.”
James Oates Sr. qualified to run for mayor.
Oates said his commitment is to treat Register's government as the small town it is.
“We need to go back to sensible government,” Oates said. “We're a population of 162. Think about it.”
Oates cited involving the people, cutting expenses, reducing overhead, reducing public works operating costs, eliminating high-priced employees, and reducing police department expenditures, all as ways he would “...run a small town the way it should be run.”
Oates said he's going to do the best he can for the town.
“I'm gonna do what a mayor is suppose to do: Make my best suggestions for the benefit of the town,” he said. “Then let Council make the decision and I'll carry out their decision.”
Currently, two of five council seats are vacant due to resignations. One of those seats has been vacant for a couple of years, and the other has been vacant since earlier this year.
Qualifying ends at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 4, 2009 at Town Hall in Register.
At 10 a.m. each council seat and the position of mayor had a candidate qualified to run.
On hand to deliver the necessary paperwork was Mayor Katie O'Grady.
“I'm pleased to see the civic engagement of our citizens,” O'Grady said.
One resident who requested anonymity said, “It's time for a change; time to stir the pot again.” To which another resident added, “And to quit dipping from the pot.”
Qualifying for council, lifelong resident, Barbara Rushing Threatt, said she believes that mayor and council are the mechanics by which the citizens of Register obtain their goals and needs.
“It's time we return to the basics and return the voice to the citizens,” Threatt said. “The goals and needs of the community may be obtained without unnecessary monetary hardship placed on our residents.”
Another lifelong resident who qualified for Council is Donnie Roberts. Roberts said he believes strongly that the people of the community play a vital role in the town's success.
“I can remember when the people's voice mattered,” Roberts said. “The last several years have focused away from the people. We need to put citizen concerns back on the agenda.”
Roberts said the recent imposition of property taxes is a financial burden that should not have been placed on citizens.
“We use to find ways to cut back and not have to charge extra fees and taxes,” he said.
Donald Kiltz acknowledged that he has not lived in Register a long time, but is running for council because he wants to do what is right for Register.
“My biggest concern is financial, to stop the waste of money,” he said. “And I think that's the community's biggest concern.”
Kiltz said that the community can let him know what they want.
“I'm willing to listen to ideas from the community,” he said. “A good group on council will look at what the people have to say and come up with some good ideas to make Register a better place to live.”
Qualifying for two other council posts, were Ann Ross and John Foster Williams III. Ross stated simply that she wants to serve the town and the community.
Williams said, “I want to see the town go in a different direction than it has over the past several years.”
James Oates Sr. qualified to run for mayor.
Oates said his commitment is to treat Register's government as the small town it is.
“We need to go back to sensible government,” Oates said. “We're a population of 162. Think about it.”
Oates cited involving the people, cutting expenses, reducing overhead, reducing public works operating costs, eliminating high-priced employees, and reducing police department expenditures, all as ways he would “...run a small town the way it should be run.”
Oates said he's going to do the best he can for the town.
“I'm gonna do what a mayor is suppose to do: Make my best suggestions for the benefit of the town,” he said. “Then let Council make the decision and I'll carry out their decision.”
Currently, two of five council seats are vacant due to resignations. One of those seats has been vacant for a couple of years, and the other has been vacant since earlier this year.
Qualifying ends at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 4, 2009 at Town Hall in Register.