DOBSON —The race to fill the seat of the late Garry Scearce on the Board of Commissioners is set.
Two city residents — a Republican and a Democrat — have filed paperwork with the Board of Elections announcing they intend to run for the seat in November.
Susan Jarrell, the director of the county Board of Elections, said Democrat John K. Collins and Republican Larry R. Phillips have filed the necessary documents to challenge one another for the empty seat.
Phillips was chosen by the board last week to fill the seat and is set to be sworn in Tuesday to fill the seat until the election can be held in November. He will serve in the temporary capacity until Dec. 4.
State law mandates that the person who fills the empty seat be a member of the same political party and reside in the same district as Scearce.
Scearce, who served on the board for an incomplete term but was elected vice chairman by the other commissioners, died on July 22, following a prolonged battle with cancer.
State law requires that the executive committees of both the Republican and Democratic parties nominate candidates to face off in the next general election.
With the filing of the paperwork by Phillips and Collins, they will be the candidates the parties have selected to vie for the seat.
Phillips: Running To Represent Every County Citizen
Phillips, who is married to the former Melinda Gay Johnson, has served as senior pastor of Midway Baptist Church since 1989, said he wants to continue the work Scearce started.
“In his brief time in office, I believe Garry established a benchmark of dedication, work and commitment to our county which now becomes the standard for all future commissioners,” he told the board shortly after his appointment was announced.
He said he wants to represent the interests of “families within our communities (who) are still struggling with the rising cost of fuel and food prices.”
“I intend to represent and protect their interests,” he said. “The money county government spends is not ‘government money,’ rather it’s the money of hard-working people and those living on fixed incomes who deserve nothing less than effective and efficient government accountable to the people.”
Phillips said he wants to work to protect the safety of the county’s communities, provide for continued efficient and effective government and work to support the county’s public schools.
“We have phenomenal teachers (and) teaching assistants within our educational system, some of them are my family members and many of them are my friends,” he said. “They need our continual partnership now more than ever.”
If elected, the Republican candidate said he would consider it a “great privilege” to serve and give back to the people and the community.
“To the best of my ability, I will strive to make researched and informed decisions always considering first and foremost their impact upon the people of Surry County,” he said.
Collins: Job Creation and Education
Like Phillips, the Democratic nominee for Scearce’s seat says he wants to help improve the lives of the people of Surry County.
A past vice president of Surry Community College and current real estate broker, Collins said he wants to work to improve the business climate of the county while helping continue the focus on education.
“At SCC, I worked in the area of job development and workforce training,” he said Thursday. “I worked in trying to get new industry here.
“I feel like I have something to offer to continue that work as a county commissioner,” he said, noting that he was raised on a small tobacco farm and understands the plight of struggling farmers as well. “I feel like I can bring all that experience to bear as I serve the citizens of Surry County.”
Collins said two areas will be his focus if elected in November.
“Job creation and education. That’s the source of our future,” he said. “Our future depends on educating our future workers and leaders and providing jobs for them.”
Collins is married and the father of two children, both doctors. He and his wife Bobbie have five grandchildren.
He graduated from Western Carolina University in 1966 and received a master’s degree in education from North Carolina State University in 1969.
He said he would like the chance to serve.
“My life’s work has been in the business of helping people,” he said. “My promise to you is that I will study all issues and make decisions as fairly and honestly as I can that promote and help (the county’s residents).”
Reach Keith Strange at kstrange@heartlandpublications.com or 719-1929.
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