Gazette Senior Reporter Angie Thompson recently asked County Commission District 2 candidates Frankie Mathis and Melissa Chevers questions about the upcoming race. This is the second in a series of stories about local races that will be decided in the July 15 primary due to the candidates’ belonging to the same political party.

What experiences do you have that you believe make you the best candidate?

I believe that my 30 years with AT&T, with the last nine being in management, give me a decided edge in people skills whether pleasant or irate.  We had many training courses that dealt with customers and proprietary information, things that had to be kept confidential. I am totally convinced that my four years on the board, not five months, dealing with the personnel issues, budget issues and the various committees and foundations I served on representing the commission board leave me with enough experience to be declared the best candidate. I feel that the county and the people of Tift County have a vested investment in my training program. I am a certified commissioner, that's 96 hours of training done on my own time. I am also a CCAP commissioner, that's an additional 96 hours of training that gives me the recognition of advanced certified commissioner by the ACCG. I believe when I walked the streets to secure right of way for paving projects, went into poorly lit areas and helped place lights there, sacrificed many lunch hours and attended all of the workshops and board meeting with perfect attendance, the people of District 2 should see they had a commissioner committed to giving them the absolute best service. 

What are the top three issues/concerns facing District 2 particularly and what are your suggestions for improving those issues?

District 2 still remains a part of Tift County and the same issues/concerns facing the others districts are present in District 2. First and foremost in all of Tift County is the need for jobs and a suitable workforce that can do more than part-time work.  Along with the Development Authority and the Chamber of Commerce, we must do everything we can to attract new businesses and create a tax base that will help the county remain a solid growth county. Secondly, I believe affordable housing, not only in District 2 but throughout Tift County, must be addressed. We have had more that 22 C.H.I.P houses built inside District 2 the last four years through our community development. Thirdly, I believe working hard to keep good employees working for the county is a must.  They must be given adequate time off and must be compensated at a level that is signified by the market. I have taken an active part in trying to secure and keep all employees informed and at a reasonable amount of happiness. I think sometimes others forget that the other part of Tift County is the employee.

What do you believe are the top three issues/concerns facing the county overall and what are your suggestions for improving those areas?

Hopefully, the populace of the county can move on and not have them think that equalization of water rates are on the front burner. I am convinced that even as we interview this is a dead or moot issue now. Please let me just recap a couple of things we have ready for the people in District 2 that will make a significant difference in our quality of life.  We have worked on a CBDG (community grant) for more that three years that will pave and place storm water drainage from Doc Melton Drive down Wilton Avenue Extension and also pave the far end of Hill Avenue from Doc Melton Drive to Golden Road. The grant is also being used for improvements on Scott Circle. A concern given to me four years ago by a concerned citizen outside District 2 stated bluntly, unless there is a traffic light placed at Goff Street and Highway 82 E., someone is going to get killed. This work is mostly complete now, according to the Tift County Road Dept., and soon there should be a road that goes directly to Charles Spencer School. These projects usually take a lot longer than we've devoted to them, but this was accomplished because the department accepted the challenge and ran with it. There are other things on the plate, but I think people have enough to know that I will work hard to always do my best and represent not only District 2 but the entire county from line to line.