Jones formally announces bid for mayor

By AMY SATTERWHITE Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard

Former alderman Rickey Jones says if he becomes McMinnville’s next mayor, voters will get “a change of priorities and mayoral policies” and he will be accountable to the people.

Jones, who was a city alderman from 1997 to 2002, said he also wants to focus upon the job situation in the area.

“I believe our economic and job situation in McMinnville is not as good as some have been stating,” he said. “There are troubling factors, such as the number of homes for sale and the number of cars leaving Warren County on any given work day.

“Our unemployment numbers might not be alarming, but so many or our family members, friends and neighbors are driving to other communities for their jobs. This ought not to be.”

Jones said he will be an active participant in helping local employers to maintain and increase the workforce and he will encourage an influx of jobs.

He said he supports the efforts of the city-county Industrial Development Board, economic development and the Chamber of Commerce but believes elected officials should be more involved.

Careful consideration is necessary for improvements in the community, he indicated.

“Our infrastructure is aging and in need of maintenance or replacement. When we add to our infrastructure, we also add to our maintenance costs. I prefer to analyze what is not being maintained and correct the problem before adding to the work load and costs, as I tend to be conservative in spending tax dollars,” Jones said.

He indicated his style of governing city voters would be democratic, not autocratic.

“I view the role of any elected official as a servant. In the democratic process, voters elect someone to represent for them, not lord over them. Some issues can be debated as to whether the public is being represented or not, but when an issue is put to a referendum and the outcome is ignored, that is total defiance,” he added.