Elections are just around the corner and those who want to serve in public office are putting their names in the hat. The Hill Spirit wants the people of Elkmont to know who is running and what they stand for. Anyone that we can vote for in the primaries, coming up in June, is invited to submit (elkmont1@charter.net) their reasons for running for office and what they would like to accomplish if elected. The first person to take advantage of the invitation is Seth Parker. He is seeking the office of District 1 commissioner.
Who is Seth Parker:
I'm a lifelong resident of Limestone County and graduated from
Elkmont High School in 2001. I've been a small business owner since I
was 17 years old and have succeeded in creating and growning several
businesses in different industries. I've also been recognized nationally
for some of my accomplishments in the real estate and architectural
photography industries. I'm married to another graduate of Elkmont High
School, Natosha Parker (formerly Johnson). Together, we have two
children. They are 6 and 2.
Why I Want To Be The District 1 Commissioner:
Basically, District 1 and Limestone County need
help. I love our area. I love the atmosphere and I love the "small-town"
feeling that is a part of Athens and all of Limestone. For us to protect
that way of life, we have to make some changes. Most people
don't realize that a County Commissioner does much more than just fix
the roads. The office also includes being responsible for administering Limestone County's ~$33
Million annual budget. The commissioner is supposed to be highly involved in the
things that make all of our day-to-day lives better.
I see counties all across the country tearing up
asphalt and converting roads back to gravel and dirt because they can no
longer afford the upkeep. Even our area has converted some paved roads
into chip-seal. We live in an area of the country where our cost of
living is very low. We have many high-paying jobs within a 30 minute
drive. We have a strong military population and one of the strongest
engineer populations per capita in the entire US. Our unemployment rate
is quite good. There's no reason that Limestone should be in the shape
that it's in financially.
Our roads are terrible. The problem lies in the
fact the earmarked money for roads comes directly from gas taxes. As
vehicles become more gas efficient, less gasoline is being purchased,
which means that there is less money to fix the roads. We have to do a
better job of finding ways to bring in revenue to make up for that,
which I'll discuss later. We also have to do a better job with the money
that we do have. It has to be spent wisely and we have to make
longer-lasting repairs.
We need to elevate the standard of communication
between the people and their elected representatives. A commissioner,
and any other official for that matter, is supposed to act on behalf of
the people and make decisions based on their best interests. We have to improve the lines of communication, whether that be through social media
or forms of traditional media.
Seth Parker Facebook Page Link
Officials should vote and
act using this input from the people as opposed to doing simply what they think is best.
As we've learned from experience, representatives don't always act in
the best interests of the people.
We need to get our spending under control at a
county level. From the Fred's Building to the Better Living Building purchases,
the Commission has made some really bad land deals over the last few
years. I feel that my experience in the construction and real estate
businesses could have been very beneficial in the decision making process.
Finally, we really need to focus on economic
development. Huntsville continues to annex thousands upon thousands of
acres in Limestone County. As we speak, Huntsville continues to develop
their Master Plan for Limestone County. Limestone County doesn't even
have a well-designed Master Plan for Limestone County!!! Huntsville has a five lane highway from HWY 72 to Huntsville Brownsferry Road (and is
planning more) and our leaders don't even know its purpose. Our
officials don't attend any of the Huntsville meetings to find out what's
going on, much less speak in favor or opposition of the things that are
happening here.
We need to get out there and recruit business. We
need to do all we can for the businesses that we currently have. We need
to bring more high-paying jobs to the county. We need to be sure that we
communicate with the proper economic development agencies about all of the
benefits of our area. All these things will increase revenue in
Limestone County and make our businesses and citizens more successful, allowing us more money to be able to budget and spend on the
things that will make our lives a little better.
We've come to the point where we simply expect our
commissioners to fix the roads. We should expect more! We should expect
the commissioners to fulfill the true duties of their position. If
elected, that is what I will do.
Seth Parker
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