Issues and Concerns

May 24, 2022 General Primary Election

CANDIDATE STATEMENTS: The following questions were developed by a CSJ subcommittee. We asked these 5 questions of BOC candidates and GA State House and Senate candidates. Like the Jackson Herald, we asked all candidates, whether they had an opponent or not. “Not available” indicates a non-response. (Candidates listed by seat and then in alphabetical order)

Jackson County BOC

Chad Bingham, District 3:

1) Do you believe that greater diversity is needed among the membership of the various committees, boards and commissions in Jackson County? Why or why not? Are the Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners adequately diverse? If not, what changes do you suggest?

I do believe that greater diversity is needed on committees, boards, and the commission in Jackson County. I don’t believe we have enough, ethnic, or gender diversity. We need to be more intentional about electing and appointing people that can bring different ideas and views to the table. As a Commissioner I will be looking for people that are younger and more diverse to bring their ideas into our processes. I’ll also be looking for people with diverse background in technologies and automation that will see things that can make doing business with the county more efficient and streamlined.

2) How do you feel about the trending level of land development and population growth in Jackson County? Is the existing Jackson County Government growth policy appropriate and adequate as it stands now and if not, how should we modify it?

The issue I see with the development going on in Jackson County is that it is very poorly planned. The strategic plan and land use maps are not being followed very well. Growth is coming to Jackson County. With having 5 exits off the interstate, growth is inevitable. The kind of growth is important. Right now, we see sprawling growth and not vertical growth. There are plans and ideas out there like Suwanee Town Center that could be used in Jackson County that would make a lot of sense. It has a blend of greenspace, homes, commercial, and workforce housing all in a condensed space.

3) Should Jackson County adopt a general policy of Smart Growth and its principals of sustainability that include a greater range of transportation and housing choices and that prioritize infill and redevelopment within the borders of existing communities, rather than development of farmlands or natural lands? Why or why not?

Start Growth falls in line with the kind of growth that we were just discussing. There does need to be more diversity in housing choices, but that isn’t as easy as just wanting it. We have to make some conscious decisions in the county on how we want to do that and how are we going to make it so that home prices don’t continue to go out of reach for the middle-class folks in Jackson County. We could prioritize infill and redevelopment, but again that takes planning and relationships with builders and developers. If it doesn’t make economic sense for them the be involved in these ideas, they wont participate. Together we would need to come up with a plan to make it worth it for everyone.

4) What role do you feel the county Comprehensive Plan should play in land use decisions by our county government? Should the Plan include a monitoring system that includes quality-of-life indicators such as open space, recreational opportunities, and water quality? Why or why not?

The Comprehensive plan should be just that, a plan. What good is a plan if we don’t follow it. The Comprehensive plan should be our guide and our vision for what we all want Jackson County to be. We should definitely consider quality of life and water into any plan we make. No one wants to live in a place that has poor quality of life or bad water.

5) What is the one major reason you are for running for office and why do you feel you are the best qualified candidate for the office you are seeking?

One of the main reasons I am running is for my children and the young people of Jackson County’s future. We need youth and we need results to get Jackson County where we want it to be. After all, we will all have to live with the county that the decisions being made right now will produce. There are technologies that we can bring into this county to raise the quality of life. There are technologies that we can bring in to make doing business and communicating with our officials and departments in the county more efficient. We can improve the way the county does business by making departments more efficient and more cost effective through technologies. I’m running because my entrepreneur background and tech background make me uniquely qualified to help bring those technologies in and get them implemented. I can get the results we need and deserve in Jackson County.

Steve Wittry, District 3:

1. Do you believe that greater diversity is needed among the membership of the various committees, boards and commissions in Jackson County? Why or why not? Are the Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners adequately diverse? If not, what changes do you suggest?

I support diversity in our committees, boards and commissions and in County government as well. The makeup of County representation should as much as possible be a reflection of the diversity of the County population in general. Representation of diverse backgrounds and experience brings different points of view into the conversation and can enhance the decision-making process.

Commissioners are responsible for appointing the Planning Commissioner for their district, selecting that candidate from the pool of applicants. Achieving a good balance of diversity requires that the pool of applicants be both qualified for the position and diverse to provide choices.

I have spent much of my 40+ year professional career in Human Resources interviewing & hiring candidates for a variety of positions at all levels. Fundamental to my role was to assess qualifications and make appropriate decisions based on those qualifications while looking for opportunities to balance the diversity of the organization.

As Commissioner, I will ensure that as opportunity for appointment becomes available that all qualified applicants are provided with the opportunity to present their qualifications. The appointment decision should be based on qualifications for the position in question with a commitment to increasing diversity when the opportunity presents itself.

I often recommend to citizens who feel called to serve that they invest the time to get to know their Commissioners and County leadership as this is who they’ll work with if appointed. Building that professional relationship can enhance the ability to more effectively present qualifications when/if they have the opportunity to be considered for appointment. BOC meetings are held twice a month and are a great opportunity to not only meet the Commissioners but also to share thoughts, ideas and concerns.

2. How do you feel about the trending level of land development and population growth in Jackson County? Is the existing Jackson County Government growth policy appropriate and adequate as it stands now and if not, how should we modify it?

Jackson County’s natural beauty, it’s location on I-85 and it’s proximity to Athens and Atlanta make our County a very desirable location to live, work and play. Continued growth, both from outside the County and within the County, is inevitable and presents significant challenges. With those challenges come opportunities. The task before us is to effectively manage and shape that growth in such a way that we integrate the values of our community into that growth management.

The availability and desirability of land have resulted in a rapid increase in the value of property in the County. Landowners who wish to sell their property have a right to sell to the buyer of their choosing and they’re being approached more and more often regarding their interest in selling. This presents challenges as we attempt to balance land use – residential, commercial/industrial and farm/forest/open space.

It is imperative that the Municipalities and the County cooperate and collaborate to achieve an effective balance of land use.

One way that policies regarding growth can be supported and enhanced is to develop intergovernmental agreements between the Municipalities and the County regarding annexation. County growth policies become irrelevant when Municipalities annex previously unincorporated areas.

The use of TDR’s (transferable development rights) is another option that can be implemented to support a more proactive effort by the County and Municipalities in managing and shaping development. The landowner, the developer and the public can all benefit from the use of the TDR option.

3. Should Jackson County adopt a general policy of Smart Growth and its principals of sustainability that include a greater range of transportation and housing choices and that prioritize infill and redevelopment within the borders of existing communities, rather than development of farmlands or natural lands? Why or why not?

Jackson County is a complex County – 9 Municipalities, 3 School Systems, 3 Industrial Development Authorities, and 10 Fire Districts. The County is now the fastest growing County in the State of Georgia and is projected to grow at a rate of 8.2% over the next 5 years.

The 10 principles of Smart growth as described in the US EPA are sensible and logical approaches to managing growth and can play a meaningful role in development across and within our County. Maximizing the opportunities provided by incorporating Smart Growth principles requires collaboration among the Municipalities and the County – treating the County as a whole rather than a collection of independent parts when strategizing and planning.

We, as a County, can benefit from factoring the principles of Smart Growth into County-wide development strategizing and planning.

4. What role do you feel the county Comprehensive Plan should play in land use decisions by our county government? Should the Plan include a monitoring system that includes quality-of-life indicators such as open space, recreational opportunities, and water quality? Why or why not?

The most recent version of the Comp Plan is the result of a 5-year update done in 2019. The Plan isn’t static but rather is updated regularly and is built on a number of plans including those of Jackson County, Northeast Georgia Regional Commission and Gainesville-Hall Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Land Use is one of six required elements of the Plan and describes the vision for unincorporated Jackson County’s development in both type and intensity. It provides a framework for staff and local decision makers. The Comp Plan should be used as the guide for decision-making that it is intended to be and should be followed as it stands. Should environmental strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and/or threats in the County change then an analysis of the Plan can be conducted and key issues to be addressed identified and prioritized by input from the public, the Interest Committee and staff.

Use of a monitoring system that tracks status of quality-of-life indicators would be helpful in providing context for consideration of future modifications of the Comprehensive Plan to ensure that it remains relevant. Our environment is ever-changing and a method that accurately tracks the effects of those changes and the impact of development would support good decision making.

5. What is the one major reason you are for running for office and why do you feel you are the best qualified candidate for the office you are seeking?

I have been acting on my desire to serve the citizens of Jackson County long before considering candidacy for District 3 County Commissioner. I have been serving the citizens of Jackson County in various roles since shortly after moving here in 2012. These include the Planning Commission, the Board of Adjustments, Piedmont CASA Board of Directors, the Moratorium Task Force, and the Impact Fee Committee. In addition to serving in these capacities, I also regularly attend Board of Commissioner meetings to develop a better understanding of the workings of County government and to hear the ideas and concerns of citizens who step up and speak at the meetings.

I want to expand the scope of my service as County Commissioner because I care about the future of Jackson County - I’m inspired about what can be.

The task before us requires LEADERSHIP and it requires EXPERIENCE to deliver RESULTS. I have invested more than 40 years of experience in my professional career in Human Resources and Corporate Management developing leadership skills to deliver quality results. Skills that include Critical Thinking, Creative Problem-Solving, Communication Skills, Consensus Building, Relationship Building and a commitment to getting the right things done.

I’ve invested 8+ years in civic service to Jackson County using my leadership experience to ensure that I’m a part of leaving a proud legacy to our children, their children and their children’s children.

Additionally, my service as a Vietnam Veteran in the United States Navy and earning my Bachelor of Science Degree from Colorado State University have provided me with valuable life experiences that have contributed to my personal growth and development.

In addition to my history of service to the citizens of Jackson County, my extensive professional and civic leadership experience, my history of delivering results and my demonstrated commitment to serving others make me uniquely qualified for this position.

Marty Seagraves, District 4: Not available

Madonna Ward, District 4:

Do you believe that greater diversity is needed among the membership of the various committees, boards and commissions in Jackson County? Why or why not? Are the Planning Commission and Board of Commissioners adequately diverse? If not, what changes do you suggest?

We need diversity in all things just as in nature around us.

It is the exchange of ideas and information between all of us that brings positive change.

Our county population is diverse, but its leadership is not.

Women represent over 50% of the county population.

Knowing that businesses average 15% better performance with women in key roles we should actively pursue diversity by outreach throughout the county.

A program for high school seniors and community groups that highlights a career in community service might be a start.

Funny thing about land development locally, looks to me like we are building a lot of the wrong stuff.

At this time, I can’t think of any government anywhere that has a truly sensible land management policy.

We modify it by becoming actively involved with local policy makers. All us of.

Every single one of us.

Volunteer.

3. Should Jackson County adopt a general policy of Smart Growth and its principals of sustainability that include a greater range of transportation and housing choices and that prioritize infill and redevelopment within the borders of existing communities, rather than development of farmlands or natural lands? Why or why not?

Smart Growth is defined as “planned economic and community development that attempts to curb urban sprawl and worsening environmental conditions”

I absolutely support that.

The clock is ticking for our planet.

We need real waste management and recycling.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to do a little spring cleaning in the dusty corners of our district?

Waste not want not, remember that? It should be a way of life.

Can we incentivize flipping and renovation? Can we identify properties that can be repurposed?

WE can do this stuff, if enough of us work together.

The Comprehensive Plan should not be ignored lightly.

I think any deviation from that expensive study by actual experts should require more than a simple majority to be approved.

We all measure quality of life issues every day and make choices based on our conclusions. It is information that is quantifiable and should be measured and tracked for local governments to act accordingly.

5. What is the one major reason you are for running for office and why do you feel you are the best qualified candidate for the office you are seeking?

I made a commitment to make sure the good folks of the Fabulous Fourth had a choice.

Customer service is a lost art and I consider myself an artist. A successful commissioner serves her neighbors and friends and their neighbors and friends and so on.

Marty Clark, District 5: Not available

Georgia House District 120

Houston Gaines, GA House: Not available

Mokah Jasmine Johnson, GA House:

Yes, greater diversity is needed across all Jackson County boards and commissions. Currently, no gender or racial diversity exists on the county boards. For appointed boards and commissions, decision-makers should work with organizations like Citizens for Sustainable Jackson County to identify qualified candidates from Black and Brown communities and women’s organizations to diversify county boards. For elected boards and commissions, such as the county commission, more female and Black/Brown candidates should be identified, encouraged, and supported to run for office.

The upward trend of land development throughout the rural areas of the county—especially in unincorporated areas—raises some concerns for me. At its current rate, land development will likely overtake many of the 700+ farms and natural spaces in the next decade. While the accelerating land and economic development along I-85 creates plentiful jobs and generates generous tax revenue for the county, development throughout the county must be considered carefully. We need to be mindful that agriculture is still one of Jackson County’s major economies. According to the most recent 2017 Census of Agriculture, there are 700+ farms covering 74,647 acres, which averages 102 acres per farm. Approximately 1200 farmers operate and tend to these areas. We need to protect farmland and this economy. I believe Jackson County leaders must work directly with farmers and their stakeholders to create a more targeted growth policy that allows for future land development that fosters long term sustainability of natural resources and bolsters the county’s agricultural economy.

Yes. Prioritizing infilling and redevelopment within the borders of existing communities allows us to increase affordable housing choices and robust public transportation by ‘building up’ instead of ‘building out.’ For example, Smart Growth policies such inclusionary zoning would allow for more targeted affordable housing development within existing communities like Arcade and Nicholson in order to encourage growth within communities containing already existing infrastructure. Thereby, current infrastructure in existing communities may be directly upgraded with green solutions. Especially with the economic boon along I-85, it makes the most sense to me to increase urban density near this corridor in order to decrease long commutes and create affordable housing options closer to workplaces. We also should invest in a robust public transportation system throughout the county to provide workers in rural areas with accessible transportation to their jobs. With this approach, we can begin to address the avalanche of population growth in the county without encroaching upon farmland and natural lands.