Four Republicans are seeking the nomination for Catoosa County Commission chairman in the July 15 primary election.

Incumbent Bill Clark, Judd Burkhart, Keith Greene and Jeff Wolford are vying for the right to face Democrat Lynn Long on Nov. 4.

Mr. Burkhart, a former councilman and mayor in Fort Oglethorpe, said he supports the volunteer fire departments in Ringgold and Fort Oglethorpe, the Chamber of Commerce and the Adult Learning Center.

He said he also supports the Catoosa school system, Catoosa Library, the Colonnade, economic growth in the county, improved sewer service and better intergovernmental communication.

Mr. Burkhart is a small-businessman involved in real estate and interior design. He served six years in the U.S. Army.

Mr. Clark is a retired Army colonel, vice president of J. H. Clark Farms, director and a founder of Gateway Bank and Trust, and a veterinarian. He commanded army units in Germany, Korea and Iran.

He served two terms in the Georgia House of Representatives and has written books on Catoosa County history and the history of the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps in Vietnam.

Mr. Clark said changes are being made to bring Catoosa County into the 21st century, including the assembly of a top-notch management team under the leadership of County Manager Mike Helton.

Mr. Greene retired this month from active U.S. Army service. He also served in the Army Reserve and the National Guard. He served in an infantry unit during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Combat Infantryman’s Badge.

An engineer with Roper Corp., Mr. Greene said lines of communication between local governments are broken and he wants to improve that situation.

Mr. Greene said he has talked with the mayors of Ringgold and Fort Oglethorpe and they have expressed a belief they can work together.

He said a homeowners are paying the lion’s share of property taxes, compared with tax revenues from industry. He said the outlook is bleak if the county can’t achieve more economic development.

Mr. Wolford is an attorney and a former infantry paratrooper in the U.S. Army with service in Bosnia, Kosovo and Kuwait.

He said the county should look toward its 20-year growth plan to improve economic growth.

Mr. Wolford said he favors widening and resurfacing existing roads and promoting a joint campus for Northwestern Technical College and Dalton Collage at Benton Place.

Comments