(This article first appeared in the May print edition of the Hendersonian.)
Challenger J.R. Stanley says it’s time for a change, while current District 1 Magistrate Keith Berry is banking on his eight years on the Henderson Fiscal Court will help him do the job.
“I think it takes you four years to get your feet on the ground,” Berry said of learning the ropes of government from a magistrate’s viewpoint.
Stanley said that there have been a lot of concerns from residents in Baskett, Reed, Beals and Spottsville about Berry’s working with the community and more precisely, showing up when needed.
“You have to be available,” Stanley said.
Stanley was for 17 years a street superintendent with the city of Henderson followed by 10 years in the maintenance department with Henderson County Schools. He describes himself as a “problem-solver” which is what he’s been doing throughout his career.
He mentioned his position as president of the Baskett Community Fire Department. When he took that role five years ago, the department was on the edge of bankruptcy, he said. Since then, he’s got the department in the black while also getting a new station built which is now paid off, he said.
In addition to his eight years as magistrate Berry also spent 30 years as a deputy sheriff. At August 16’s Republican candidate forum, he listed a host of challenges, among them economic development, becoming more business friendly, providing more education and retaining young people.
In a follow up interview with the Hendersonian, he said that he’s not in favor of any more renewable energy projects in the county. But, he said, the current process in which the planning commission is conducting public hearings to gather information to eventually create a wind energy conversion system ordinance should continue.
“I think we have enough green energy,” he said, but added that “we have to go through the process.”
Stanley said, “There’s a place for all that stuff, but I don’t think Henderson County is it.”
Stanley at the candidate forum said that dealing with renewable energy projects in Henderson County is one of the biggest challenges if elected. When asked at a later interview, he said county roads can’t handle the heavy equipment used to build the different projects.
“Maintenance is lacking on the county infrastructure to support those things,” he said.
He also said county ditches can’t support the excess runoff caused by solar panels, adding that the county ought to look into putting more money into infrastructure.
Another issue Stanley wants the county to look into is paying volunteer firefighters. He said interest is waning and numbers are low.
Added to that is volunteer fire departments must go to every car accident in case because only fire personnel can use extrication equipment, he said. That’s causing the number of runs to increase drastically, he said.
He said there’s a state statute that allows counties to pay volunteer firefighters to earn $6,999 per year. Stanley said that the fire departments need to be fixed.
They’re “in a dangerous stage,” he said.
Regarding volunteer fire departments, Berry said each department has received about $100,000 in recent years.
“They are in a lot better shape than they were ten years ago,” he said.
He also said that in the last eight years the fiscal court has funded $7.5 million worth of paving on county roads.
He added that the current Henderson Fiscal Court has been great stewards of county tax dollars and the county is in better financial shape than it’s ever been.
Berry said he wants Henderson County to be a destination for entrepreneurs, businesses and new residents, and he said the current court works well together, though they don’t always agree, to try to solve problems. “I think we do well,” he said.
“It’s a bad time to split it up,” Berry said.
Stanley contended that he and his wife are integral parts of the community in eastern Henderson County, and he had no intention to run until people asked him to.
Berry also said that his eight years of experience is another reason to vote for him.
“I’m on the court,” he said. “(Stanley) has never been on the court.”
Stanley, meanwhile, said he believes in term limits and an official “runs out of steam” after so many years.
