Possibly the closest watched race will be that of county commission chairman, in which incumbent Republican Bill Chappell is seeking his second full term, with challenges in the GOP primary from businessmen Marty Smith and Walt Hollingsworth. If any candidate fails to get a majority Tuesday, the top two vote-getters will be on an Aug. 21 runoff ballot.
In other county races, incumbent District 3 Commissioner Ashley Smith Hendrix faces challenges by Tommy Lee and Jason Wilcox.
Incumbent District 5 Commissioner Kevin Jackson is running against Slade Jenkins.
In what has become a contest with a higher profile than normal is the race between five-term incumbent Coroner Sammy Eady, who is being challenged by former-deputy Jamie Godbee. The winner of that contest will face the sole Democratic candidate LaDonna Fryar in the Nov. 6 general election.
The final early voting figures at 4:30 p.m. Friday showed that 3,233 people had cast ballots, representing about 5.65 percent of the 57,166 registered voters. The total included 315 voters who cast early ballots on Friday.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Becky Deese, county elections supervisor, said voters should check to be sure which precinct they’re voting in, since redistricting has changed many of the district boundaries since last year.
“You can go to the Georgia secretary of state website at sos.ga.gov and click on MVP (my voter page),” Deese said.
The site will provide a sample ballot specific for your voting districts and precinct.
Two challengers are waging a heated campaign against Chappell’s re-election as chairman of the Board of Commissioners.
Chappell maintains he has paid off county debt he inherited and built up a healthy $11 million reserve.
“The county is in vastly better shape than when I came in,” Chappell said. “We’ve done it without increasing taxes or cutting pay.”
He said his administration has been the most open on record, putting all the checkbooks and budgets online.
“We’re as transparent as any government in Georgia or the whole Southeast,” Chappell claimed.
Smith has charged that Chappell is not working with the district commissioners or the people of the county, but is running government to reward his friends and punish his enemies. He also maintains that Chappell is taking credit for the county’s good financial position when it is actually due, Smith said, to action by the prior administration.
“A 2-mill increase was handed the board prior to his taking over,” Smith said. “In the first year, it generated $6 million, which was enough to take care of the debt. He didn’t have to raise taxes. That was all done before he took over.”
Hollingsworth said that the county needs “a breath of fresh air” and “new blood” in the chairman’s position. His campaign slogan has been, “It’s easy as A-B-C. Anybody But Chappell.”
He has questioned Chappell’s making decisions without input from the people or the other commissioners.
Hollingsworth has called for a change in county bylaws to eliminate what he called “the $12,500 rule.”
“The chairman can make any expenditure up to that amount without board approval,” he said. “It’s not stipulated how many times he can use it.”
He would also like to see a change in voting procedure which now allows the chairman to cast a vote on every item.
“The chairman should be there to break a tie, not to vote on every issue,” he said. “I want to empower the Board of Commissioners to be included in more decisions.”
Chappell has charged that both his opponents are speaking in “loose generalities” and have no platforms of their own.
“The chairman of Carroll County is a CEO (chief executive officer) job,” Chappell said recently. “The board is not a committee set up to run the government. The chairman is in charge of government and organizational matters. That’s what the law says.”
Other contested races on Tuesday’s ballot include:
• T-SPLOST (transportation special purpose local option sales tax) referendum, which would impose a one-cent sales tax to be used to fund district transportation projects.
• Nonpartisan race for judge of Superior Court of the Coweta Judicial Circuit between Kevin McMurry, an assistant district attorney, and Emory Palmer, a trial lawyer.
• Nonpartisan Board of Education seats. In District 1, incumbent Bernice B. Brooks, faces challenges from Rob Cleveland and Terry W. Turner; in District 3, incumbent Chris Gammon is being challenged by Robert D. Pinckney.
• The 3rd District U.S. Representative race in which incumbent Lynn Westmoreland is facing challenges from “Chip” Flanegan and Kent Kingsley.
The city of Temple will vote on whether to allow Sunday sales of beer and wine.
I also have a problem with someone who spews hate under an alias. You hate Chappell? Have the guts to do it under your own name.
This will all be a moot point a few hours from now, but it irritates me just a little to think that some cowardly little loudmouth is laboring under the misconception that he's made a valid point, when that certainly isn't the case.
Read more: Times-Georgian - Carroll County BOC awards 3 7 million contracts...I keep telling every one..here are some facts...thanks Kevin
I know for a fact that firemen are told that they can not go to businesses to do what is called a PreFire Plan. It is not in the budget to allow firemen to go into potential work places for them to see possible hazards in buildings if an emergency ever happened there. People need to see the importance of having firemen that know their districts. They need to know where the closest hydrant is to buildings and homes. They need to be familiar with street names and locations. After all it is the public that those guys are here to protect. I have a close friend that is a fireman and to listen to the stories of what these guys have to put up with is crazy. But none of them can talk about it openly for being in fear of being fired. That isnt a great way to do business. We need a person in office that is going to help these guys. One that will listen to what works in the field and what doesnt. One to get them the knowledge and tools they need to do their jobs successfully. That goes for their Chief also. We have to quit losing these guys to Metro Departments and to other careers. Another issue they have is what they are replacing these veterans that are leaving with. I was told a joke about when local HS graduations come around they get 3-5 more children that have just graduated. I know for sure that I dont want an 18 year old kid fresh out of High School that has no EMS knowledge coming to my Grandparents door when they have medical emergencies. I want a Fireman who knows what to do to handle their situation. I want one that has experience in their field. One that knows how to handle their situation in the best way possible. I also want one that has the best equipment in the field. I dont care about having to pay more. If an exspensive piece of equipment saves one life to me it is worth it. But these things are not what we are seeing as long as Mr. Chappell has had office. Its time that people are shown the light on these issues we have. Yes its great to see Mr. Chappell save citizens so much money. But is that all we care about as citizens? Saving money? When does spending a little to better educate the county employees that are there to serve us hurt? Talk to any Fireman or Police Officer off the record and you will get your answers on how they feel.
@SLH123 - I agree with you 100%!
@VRGRITS - The County Commissioner you speak of is Vickie Anderson of Fairfield Plantation. Commissioner Anderson is not up for re-election this year but we will all have our chance to vote for her opponent in 2014. Now, you were vague about who is stealing campaign signs. Tell us so we can vote for the other candidate!