Jeff Johnson, Billy Thurmond win reelection, but voters reject transportation SPLOST

Politics

DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. — Sheriff Jeff Johnson won a second term without the need for a runoff Tuesday. Board of Commissioners Chairman Billy Thurmond also won a second term but political newcomer Renee Duren threw a real scare into the former Public Safety Director.

Johnson received 3,683 votes (53.92%) to Marcus Sewell 1,757 and Jeff Perry 1,390.

The race for county commission chair went down to the wire. Thurmond a longtime public servant with strong name recognition, survived by just over 200 votes. Thurmond’s total was 3,143 to Duren’s 2,907. The focus of Duren’s campaign was zoning issues and quality of life.

Emory Dooley won the race for District 4 county commissioner, defeating David Pressley by a count of 3,143 to 2,907.

Fed up with a dwindling job market, COVID-19 and the rising racial tensions in the U.S., Dawson County voters were in no mood to raise their own taxes. They voted “no” to the transportation special purpose local option sales tax (TSPLOST) 4.445 TO 3.467.

All races are unofficial until certified by the Secretary of State.

 

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David Pressley, candidate for Dawson County Board of Commissioners

News

DAWSON COUNTY, Ga.–  David Pressley and Emory Dooley are candidates for Dawson County Board of Commissioners in District 4. Fetch Your News interviewed both candidates to give readers a better perspective on their campaigns. FYN will publish both interviews today. This is how David Pressley responded to our questions.

What is your age and occupation?

37. I’m a commercial Audio, Video, and Controls Technician.

How long have you lived in Dawson County?

Four years

Education?

A.S. in Computer and Electronics Engineering and B.S. in Electrical and Electronics Communications Engineering

Government experience/Public service?

I spent 9 years in the Army, and about 1 year in the FBI.

Why are you running for this position?

3 main reasons: I want to reduce residential property taxes, manage spending to enable a reduction in residential property taxes, and work with the Board of Commissioners to manage growth appropriately.

What qualifies you to serve on the county’s governing body?

I’ve saved the Army over $5 million by reducing fraud, waste, and abuse. I’ve designed policies and streamlined procedures that saved tens of thousands of man-hours of unnecessary labor. I can bring that same mindset of being a good steward of taxpayer dollars to Dawson County. I take the position that taxes are not charity or donations. The people that pay them are not given the option to not pay or to negotiate the terms. While I can’t really see a way forward to eliminating all taxes completely, I believe it is very important to keep in mind where this money comes from when looking at every dollar being spent.

What are the 2 greatest challenges Dawson County faces in the next 4 years?

Managing growth and not placing the tax burden of that growth onto the families of Dawson county.

How will you meet those challenges?

I will work with the Board of Commissioners to stick to the growth plan and do our due diligence if we need to change the growth plan. With regards to taxes, the priority is to reduce unnecessary spending to the greatest extent possible. That doesn’t mean we always go with the cheapest option. It means taking a critical look at exactly what we’re getting for the money we’re spending and making intelligent decisions to get a good deal for the county.

Name one area where you feel the Board of Commissioners has done a great job of serving the citizens of Dawson County.

Honestly, I think relative to some of our neighboring counties, the BoC has done a good job with budgeting, but I do think there’s room for improvement.

Name one area where they have failed to do a good job of serving the citizens.

Maintaining roads and bridges. We’re moving in the right direction now, but I think we can do better than we have in the past.

Emory Dooley, candidate for Dawson County Board of Commissioners

News

DAWSON COUNTY, Ga. — Emory Dooley and David Pressley are running for the Dawson County Board of Commissioners in the District 4 June primary. Fetch Your News interviewed both candidates to give readers a better perspective on the two candidates. FYN will publish both interviews today. This is how Emory Dooley responded to our questions.

What is your age and occupation?

I am 36 years old, and I am the general manager at my family’s Dawson County-based business, 400 Waste & Scrap LLC.

How long have you lived in Dawson County?

I grew up in Silver City, located in North Forsyth County, and have lived in Dawson County for 10 years.

Education?

I graduated summa cum laude from the University of North Georgia with a Bachelors of Science in Political Science.

Government experience?

I have served as vice-chairman of the Dawson County Planning Commission since January 2017.

Public service?

I am a member of Concord Baptist Church.  I served as the chairman of the board for the United Way for Dawson County in 2019, and I am currently serving as co-chair.  In 2019, the United Way for Dawson County raised and distributed over $80,000 to 15 organizations and programs that directly benefit residents of Dawson County.  I also served as a past board member for Kare for Kids, Inc., a local non-profit who helps provide Christmas gifts and clothing for the underprivileged children of Dawson County.

Why are you running for this position?

After much prayer and deliberation, I decided that this would be the best way for me to contribute to the community.

What qualifies you to serve on the county’s governing body?

My education, community involvement, and small business background combine to give me a well-rounded knowledge base from which to draw when performing the duties of this office.

What are the two greatest challenges Dawson County faces in the next 4 years?

The two greatest challenges are managing growth and maintaining/improving our current level of county services without increasing property taxes.

How will you meet those challenges?

We must manage growth by first ensuring we do not become overburdened with high-density residential developments that encumber our services and infrastructure.  Attracting more low impact, light industrial, and technology-based businesses can help balance our tax base.  By correctly managing our growth, we avoid the burden of rapid expansion on our community services.  With the exploration of alternate funding for county expenses, combined with frugality in our current expenditures, we can avoid a sacrifice of service effectiveness while bolstering our ability to offer competitive pay, proper equipment, and effective training for county employees without increasing property taxes.

Name one area where you feel the Board of Commissioners has done a great job of serving the citizens of Dawson County.

I was pleased to see the Board of Commissioners lower the property tax millage rate. Fiscal responsibility is one of my top priorities, and this is a trend that I hope to continue.

Name one area where they have failed to good job of serving the citizens.

While past experiences provide learning experiences and teach valuable lessons, I prefer to look forward.  With my background, I will to bring a different perspective to the board and help ensure that every decision is the best possible choice for Dawson County.

 

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