New commissioners to face challenges

Apparently voters weren?t that dissatisfied with their commissioners, since only three were actually voted out. The other three came about by attrition, with one incumbent deciding not to run at all, while two entered other races.

With the specter of having to make a relatively quick decision on a potentially major tax increase looming over their heads, the six new commissioners, Marty McGinnis, Earl Jones, M.A. Bouldin, Clinton ?Pee Wee? Hill, Harold Hyatt and Morris Bond, have their work cut out for them.

Here?s how the changes played out in the six districts affected. It should be noted that all 12 districts kept at least one incumbent in office.

? 2nd District ? Roy Pierce made the decision not to run for re-election. Remaining incumbent Carl Bouldin led the voting with 594 to keep his seat. McGinnis made his second run for the office, having lost by 7 votes in 2002 , and took the seat in a tight race for second position with 287, winning by a narrow margin of 17 votes over Tommy Davenport.

? 6th District ? Here one incumbent, Bryan Denton, kept his place on the commission with 264 votes, while newcomer Jones, who received a field-leading 293 votes, ousted incumbent Wayne Pryor, who received 147.

? 7th District ? Incumbent David Grissom kept his seat, with 436 votes, while former Commissioner M.A. Bouldin made a reappearance, pulling in a field-topping 463 votes, after incumbent Herbert Wright fell in the Democratic primary.

? 8th District ? With David Hill, like Wright, losing in the primary, newcomer Pee Wee Hill led the field here with 463 votes, while incumbent Danice Taylor stayed in with 374.

? 10th District ? Incumbent Gary Prater lead the field handily with 475 votes. Veteran campaigner Harold Hyatt, who has run for both county executive in 1994, and commissioner, took the second seat with 275 votes. Incumbent Donnie Caldwell paved the way for Hyatt?s win by jumping in, and then out, of the register of deeds race.

? 11th District ? Incumbent Terry Bell, finishing his first term, led the field with 472 votes to keep his seat while David Vandagriff, who decided to throw his hat into the ring for county clerk, left his seat open for newcomer Bond, who pulled in 363 votes.

Hyatt said he is looking forward to serving the people of the 10th District.

?I?m going into it with a positive attitude,? Hyatt said, ?to see what we can get going and finish up some of the things they?ve got going already, like the road and the school.?

The new commissioners seem ready to take on their duties. Hyatt says he realizes the tax situation is a critical issue, but feels he needs to do some research before deciding how he will vote if it is left up to the new commission to pass the budget.

?I?m going to have to review it first,? Hyatt said, ?before I can give you a well-thought-out answer. But I believe we ought to be able to keep it where we had it.?

McGinnis says he looks forward to the challenge of the office.

?I?m excited about winning and serving,? McGinnis said, but noted the possibility of having to deal with a tax increase early in his term does concern him. ?It looks like we?re walking right into a bee?s nest. I sure don?t like the idea of raising property tax, because to me, that just punishes property owners for having property. But really it?s going to be hard for me to say what we can and can?t do until I take office and know what kind of situation we?re in.?