Commission candidates share ideas for a better Highland County WATCH THE VIDEO

  The six candidates vying for two seats on the Highland County Board of Commissioners talked about jobs, economic development and balanced budgets Monday evening during a candidate forum sponsored by the Highland County TEA Party. 

The TEA (Taxed Enough Already) Party event was held at the Hi-TEC building in Hillsboro. Moderator Jim Cook said that questions for the event were solicited from the public and were broken down into six categories: introduction and vision for Highland County; budgets, appropriations and property; economic development; shared services; practices and procedures; and closing remarks. 

Republican Steve Cowdrey will face incumbent Shane Wilkin in the March 6 primary election. The winner of that race will face Democrat Brenda Losey in the November general election. 

Democrats Randy Mustard and Josh Patton will face each other in the primary. The winner of that race will face Republican incumbent Tom Horst in the November general election. 

Highland County TEA Party President Ken Ludwick told the crowd of TEA Party members, community residents and elected officials that, "This forum is to get to know who (the candidates) are and what they're thinking." 

Going in the order that the candidates' petitions were certified by the Highland County Board of Elections, according to Ludwick, the candidates were asked questions and were not given a time limit for their answers. 

Cowdrey, a New Market resident, is a real estate agent at Real Living Classic Real Estate. He has worked at Hobart and ABX Air and attended Southern State Community College, pursuing a degree in business management.

Cowdrey said that he felt the current commissioners and the county department heads "have done a great job" in dealing with the tight budget and necessary cuts, but "there's more that can be done."

Referencing a 2003 report based on surveys, date and collaborative efforts of more than 100 Highland County residents known as the Highland County Comprehensive Plan, Cowdrey said he would like to try to implement ideas based on the research compiled in the plan.

"This plan involved approximately 180 people from the county that got involved to find out what the county wanted, what direction they wanted to go, what their visions were for the county," Cowdrey said. "To me, what I think is important to the county is not an issue. It's what the people of the county want. Different people have different ideas about what they want."

Once you find out what people really want for the future of the county, Cowdrey said you address questions like, "Do we have the infrastructure to handle it? Do we have people trained to do that? After being trained in team building and problem solving for so many years, it just all takes hold. We don't have to reinvent the wheel. What we have to do is go forward with it." 

Losey, a member of the Greenfield Village Council, grew up in the Hillsboro and Rainsboro areas and currently lives in Greenfield. She volunteers with the Greenfield Exempted Village Schools and leads a grief sharing program at the Presbyterian Church in Greenfield. She said that she has seen the best the people in the community have had to offer and that she wants to bring pride back to Highland County.

"I have seen the very best that this community has had to offer, and that comes from a good, solid base of people that you don't always get in very large communities," Losey said. "It's when you know each other, when we know our neighbors, and we take care of each other. That's what I would like to see come back to Highland County, where we really have pride, we stick up for each other, and we show each other what we're made of. It doesn't cost money to have pride. It doesn't cost money to clean things up." 

Losey spoke about work that she has done with the G3 (Greening Greater Greenfield) Committee. The organization looks for ways to create opportunities for the Greenfield area, including community events and green energy initiatives.

"There's so many things that we can be doing, and we need to all work together. That's what my vision is for this county: bringing people back together," Losey said. 

Wilkin, a Lynchburg resident, is a real estate agent at Prudential Chambers Realty, a small business owner, and is completing his first term on the board of commissioners. 

He spoke about the job development he has assisted with in the three years he has been in the office, including jobs brought in through PAS Technologies, and the work done to keep C-Mold in Greenfield. Wilkin said that C-Mold didn't just stay in Highland County, but they are doubling their workforce from 40 employees to 80.  

Wilkin said that in a way, his motivations for working toward a better Highland County were "tongue-in-cheek," selfishly motivated, because it is for his daughters. 

"We have two little girls," Wilkin said. "I want to see Highland County become a place where if our girls choose this is where they want to live and this is where they want to stay, that there is something here to sustain them for a quality of life, an occupation that they can be here for, enjoy, something of their choosing, and live their life here. That is my goal. That would be my goal for your kids as well as my kids."

Wilkin said that as a small business owner he has felt the difficulties in the economy. 

"It's tough. We have hard economic times right now," Wilkin said. "But we are making strides. We do have some success stories, and I think we are turning the corner somewhat. We are heading in the right direction." 

Horst, who was raised in Lynchburg but currently lives in Hillsboro, was elected Highland County sheriff for three terms and previously worked for the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI) and the Department of Homeland Security. He said that he wants to continue the work he has stated on the board of commissioners. 

"I really wanted this job three years ago. Worked hard for it. And we're in the middle of some things that are going to break loose in Highland County," Horst said. "I want to be working on those things that we started to work on in these past three years. I want to see that continue under our leadership and bring Highland County back to what Highland County used to be."

Horst said that he is a full-time commissioner and that he works for the people in the community. 

"I want to give back to Highland County what Highland County has given to us," Horst said. "That's why I want to be commissioner. That's why I want to work for you. If you ask me a question, I'm going to give you an answer. You may not like the answer, but I'm going to give you that answer." 

Mustard, a resident of the Rocky Fork Lake area, has been a Paint Township Trustee for 12 years and currently serves as trustee president. He owns his own trucking company and said that he wants to take his experience of serving the people and operating his own business, and use these to the benefit of the people of Highland County. 

"I think we've made a great improvement in that township in the last 12 years," Mustard said. "We've been very successful in getting grants. I know in the commissioners' office, a lot of their stuff is grants. I've run my own business successfully for 20 years. I would like to bring everything that I've done through the township to a higher level (in the commissioners office)."

While the economy has been difficult, Mustard said that he thinks changes are coming, and he wants a chance to be a leader and make a difference at the county level. 

"I think things are starting to turn around and come back," Mustard said. "I enjoy working with the people in the community. If elected, my phone (would always be on). If I can't answer the question right off the bat,  I will get the answer and get back with you. I'd like to have a shot at it to make some changes and try to better ourselves." 

Patton, a Berrysville resident, is the former president of the Highland County Board of Realtors, a graduate of Southern State Community College and a co-owner of First Advantage Realty and Auction, LLC. He said that he knows the difficulty area residents have faced in the current economy. But through his hard work and budget management skills, Patton said he has been able to build a growing business, and Highland County residents can benefit from that experience. 

When he got into the real estate business in 2008 was when the economy took a downward turn, and he was bombarded with advice to leave the business and get a job that could have a steadier income. 

"I'm the kind of guy that if you tell me I can't do it, I'm going to prove you wrong," Patton said. "It's not because I'm arrogant. It's because that's the county that we live in. We live in a place that with hard work and and dedication, you have opportunity. I didn't do it because properties were selling like mad. I did it because I am good at managing money, I'm good at budgeting, and keeping overhead low. That's what I'd like to help bring to Highland County. Understanding budgets and managing people, that's one of the biggest things you do as a commissioner. I think I can do that for Highland County and help make it a better place."

Patton, who also has young children, said that he wants to create a better community so that there are local opportunities for young people. 

"Right now, what do we have to offer our young people?" Patton said. "It seems all you hear the high schoolers say is, 'As soon as I graduate I'm going here, I'm going there.' I think that has to start with us. We have to begin to think positive. I know that's easy to say and a lot harder to do, but we have to begin to think positive. Let's sell Highland County for what it is and not always focus on the bad. Let's utilize what we have and do something with it. I think that's one of the biggest things that we're lacking right now. We have to think positive and move on."

At the conclusion of the event, which lasted more than two hours, TEA Party member and forum organizer David Wyckoff thanked the candidates and the voters for coming out. 

"You got information," Wyckoff said. "And information is power."