Interview with Barrow BOC Chairman candidate Doug Garrison
BarrowJournal.com and The Braselton News invited each of the candidates for chairman of the Barrow County Board of Commissioners to participate in an in-depth interview with reporter Kristi Reed and editor Mike Buffington to discuss issues of importance to Barrow County voters. The following is a transcript of the key issues from our interview with incumbent candidate Doug Garrison.
NEWS/JOURNAL: There’s been a lot of talk across the state with the economy being down about property tax rates and home valuations. A lot of people feel their homes are overvalued. Do you see Barrow County looking at the millage rate and lowering that to try and offset some of that perception, or is the county stuck where it is?
GARRISON: I think the tax assessor will make his valuations based upon his state mandate. I do know that probably statewide or nationally, they’re (property values) down. I haven’t been tracking them, so I don’t know what the values are here. It’s a tough question for me to answer without knowing what the valuations are and what some of the sale prices have been. Our volume, in terms of lots and residences that were out there a year ago, seem to have come down somewhat, so we’re getting some inventory gone. We’re still going to have a certain amount of services that we’re going to have to provide. So, we’ll have to look at it from a tax perspective to see what that’s going to do. But, I think it’s going to have to be the state to mandate what the tax assessors do. I don’t think the board of commissioners can mandate that the tax assessor lower assessments.
NEWS/JOURNAL: If the economy remains flat, do you see Barrow County having to do any major budget cuts in 2009 or 2010?
GARRISON: I think we’re probably going to have to tighten our belt this year because we’re opening up a jail and a courthouse brand new. We’re going to have some increased costs this year. At the same time, we’ve had less revenue coming in from licenses and permits as well as planning (fees). We’re probably going to be doing some consolidating. I don’t think we’ll be doing layoffs, but we’ll probably have to keep positions open, maybe reallocate some workloads and do some hard budget numbers in terms of what we can do. We’re probably going to have to look at storm water utility and some other revenue sources (fees) in order to pay some of these state mandates that are on us. We’re going to be looking hard at the revenue side as well as some consolidation where we can. Everybody always asks for new positions, but this may not be the year to do new positions. Even with public safety, it will have to be fully justified before we’ll do it.
NEWS/JOURNAL: What about pay raises for county employees? With the health insurance going up, do you foresee either no, or very modest pay increases, or passing along more health insurance costs?
GARRISON: We’re going to bid out our health services this year to see if there’s not some economy there. We may evaluate to see if there is a need to pass some of the cost to the employee, but more likely, we’re going to see if we can provide as good of service at a lower cost in terms of the health care side of things. On the salary side, I think the [raises] will be very modest – probably cost of living would be about it for this year.
NEWS/JOURNAL: What percent increase do you expect?
GARRISON: We haven’t evaluated it yet. It’s pure guess at this point. We are in the budget process, but we haven’t got to that point yet. I’m trying to get the budget balanced and know what we can do. We’ll have to be on the conservative side for cost of living increases.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Last year, the state put forth a proposal to do away with property taxes and replace them with a state sales tax. What is your view on that proposal?
GARRISON: I didn’t like the proposal because I think it is more government, not less government, when you have to go to Atlanta to take your needs for each community. From that perspective, I didn’t particularly like or support the bill. I do know that homeowners feel the biggest crunch. In Barrow County, we have tried to increase the commercial and industrial (tax base) and bring some retail type jobs here instead of sending all our sales tax to the Mall of Georgia and those kind of places. It would have been a difficult situation. We could have worked with it, but I think government should be closer to home than that. I think that would’ve been the biggest problem – not being able to address our own needs.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Lorraine Greene, candidate for chairman of Gwinnett County, has proposed eliminating the county portion of the property tax bill and replacing it with a one percent sale tax. Do you think this is a viable option for Barrow County?
GARRISON: It’s probably more viable for them (Gwinnett) than us because of their retail base. I think governments need to look at those kinds of things. There are a number of people who don’t pay a lot of tax, yet work in your community. I like the idea. Whether it would work for Barrow County, I have not assessed it to see what that might bring in and how much of the property tax it could offset. I’m sure it couldn’t offset all of it, but I’m sure it could offset some of it. I am more of a proponent of “fair tax,” or that type tax, than I am property taxes because it is a burden, especially for senior citizens, to pay school taxes. That’s probably the number one complaint I get. ‘When are you going to do something to help me with my school taxes?’ I don’t get questions so much about the county because 66 percent of our tax bill is schools. It’s a big burden, especially for senior citizens and retirees to have to continue to pay school tax. That’s why we did work on and get a reduction for those most critical, at need, senior citizens on fixed income to have an exemption for theirs, but that doesn’t help the average person.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Do you have a plan to exempt seniors from the school tax?
GARRISON: I want to continue to look at opportunities to lower their tax burden. I hope that we can get our tax base increased in terms of being able to have more sales tax as well as property taxes from industry. Maybe we can get to the point where we can get through some bill to lower their property taxes.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Some of your opponents have said the county debt is too high. Do you think the debt is too high?
GARRISON: I don’t think so. I think they might not fully understand the numbers. The financial report is good. We’ve got $9 million in reserves. Most of our debt will be paid for by utility fees or SPLOST money. The two land purchases (Segar property and Hwy 53/Hwy 316 tract) that have been in the news and have been questioned more than anything else are two that are an economic investment for our future. We’ve wanted to have something to really offer an industry. We’re not there yet, but at least we have land now. We will have to start making payments on that. They are bonded and will be secured by future tax dollars. We’ve had some folks looking, but we haven’t sold any of that yet.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Is that area a growth center for industrial development?
GARRISON: I think Hwy. 53 and Hwy. 316 have a good opportunity for growth. I think it’s a different story around the airport. It’s a protection zone number one, and it’s an opportunity for some light industry that could be associated with the airport or compatible with the airport and the community. We think there is some opportunity there. Our biggest problem with that site is transportation in terms of getting to I-85 or Hwy. 316. You wouldn’t expect a big company to go there or something that really needs easy in and easy out transportation like you would get at Hwy. 316 or I-85. The answer to the question overall is that I don’t think we’re in debt to the point where it will be a burden to the taxpayers.
NEWS/JOURNAL: All the candidates talk about controlled growth. How far should local governments go in attempting to control growth, or is that a role government should even play?
GARRISON: Controlled growth means different things to different people. Some people think controlled growth is no growth, status quo, keep the pristine countryside. I don’t take that approach to it. I believe a landowner has the right to do with, or sell, his property for highest and best use. If that’s for industrial or for a subdivision and it makes sense and is practical, then I support that. The kind of controlled growth that I do believe in is what we are trying to do through our new unified development code which is the document that governs how people can develop and build. It has increased the standards for growth. The overlay corridors are another thing we’ve done to try to increase standards and appearance. Trying to get more sewer throughout the county is another way to hopefully slow down the septic tank fields, which is a major concern for all of us in protecting our water supply.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Sewer is a double-edged sword to some extent because it does allow for higher-density development.
GARRISON: It does allow for higher density, but the higher density allows for more green space. You can higher density and set aside green space whereas if you were under the old rule, one lot per acre, you’re destroying something on every acre. There are trade-offs. We want more retail and commercial. That’s why we’re trying to put sewer first on some of these gateways. We fully believe that’s where our best economic growth is going to be. We want sewer there, but to get sewer there, you have to have rooftops for tap fees. You have to have so many rooftops before you get the commercial growth. We realize this growth has to be somewhat balanced. We’ve seen a lot of that. The Target development (and) the Home Depot are great for our communities. We need more of that and more is hopefully coming.
NEWS/JOURNAL: A lot of people would say that when counties run water and sewer and upgrade roads that you’re helping developers. How do you explain to the citizens that you are trying to attract commercial or industrial growth without being too far on the side of developers?
GARRISON: I understand that. I don’t really know how to answer it. We put sewer at Hwy. 81 and Hwy. 316. The only county money we spent has not resulted in any housing directly. (It has) indirectly because the line work was there, yes – here they come. The Dillard Heights development is a good example. We didn’t run it for Dillard Heights, we ran it for Home Depot and what’s happening there now. You have to get it to those major corridors and those major nodes. The commercial doesn’t use that much sewer. Economically, you would never pay for it with just commercial growth. You have to sell taps to homeowners to get that revenue. It is a tit-for-tat. We do need to be very cautious. We want to put this out there where the growth needs to be, not just all over the county. There are parts of the county we would not be interested in running sewer to because the only thing that would happen there is houses.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Looking back over the past four years, what is the best thing you have been able to accomplish?
GARRISON: I don’t think there is any one best thing. I think we have done a lot for employees in terms of making a better place to work and a teamwork atmosphere. I think we have been very employee friendly and have tried to improve the work place. I firmly believe the direction we’re going in as far as economic development is a plus. I think that we do deserve to be a live, work, play community where we don’t have to drive to Atlanta for good paying jobs. There have been over 1800 jobs brought to unincorporated Barrow County in the past four years. That a 40 percent increase in jobs. I think the economic direction we’re going in is a positive for our community.
NEWS/JOURNAL: What do you think should have been done differently in the past four years?
GARRISON: I think we have made great strides in terms of working with our municipalities, but we’re not there yet. I’m not pleased where we are there. I don’t know that we have made a major mistake along the way. We probably have waited too late to try to improve our transportation situation. I might could have been more aggressive and more productive in terms of trying to get the bypass and get state funds. We probably didn’t put a strong enough emphasis on it as a team. I probably would have tried to do some things differently there.
NEWS/JOURNAL: You mentioned not having a PR person. How do you plan to get information to the citizens?
GARRISON: People find it hard to come and ask the government questions. When I say the government, I mean me, or a staff person. People just don’t do it. They write a letter to the editor in a heartbeat, but they won’t pick up the phone and I wish they would. It’s not like we have secrets. We’d be glad to share what we have. An open door policy is what I am all about. PR-wise, I wish there was some way we could get more information out about our direction. The recreation plan, for instance. Some people might have heard of it. They don’t know what it is; they don’t know where we’re going, why we’re going there. You have to keep some type of education going. There should be a better way to lay that groundwork. We do hear from constituents and we do try to listen to constituents, but maybe we’re not involving them on the other end to show what we’re doing and why we’re doing it before we get to the implementation stage.
NEWS/JOURNAL: The Barrow County Republican Party has placed several questions on the ballot for voter input. Do you favor the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
GARRISON:Yes.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Should English be the official language of the State of Georgia?
GARRISON:Yes.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Would you favor raising any local taxes to pay for Barrow’s portion of the proposed ‘Brain Train’ between Athens and Atlanta?
GARRISON: No, not at this time. I think somewhere in our future, there is going to be some mass transportation. Whether it is the ‘Brain Train’ or MARTA type stuff, I don’t know. I like the concept, but the bill Barrow County would have to pay far exceed what I think the benefits would be. I support the concept, but I don’t think there is a mechanism yet to pay for it that I can support. We’re not ready for it yet.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Critics say the ILS system to be installed at the airport is antiquated and the maintenance cost will be high. Do you still support the installation of the ILS system?
GARRISON: It’s my understanding that the maintenance will be done by the Feds. It is a FAA funded and FAA maintained system. I know GPS is the thing of the future, but most people’s planes are not equipped with that. They are with ILS. That is standard equipment so I’ve been told. I don’t think the federal folks would be putting money into it if they didn’t think it was a necessary item for a general aviation airport.
NEWS/JOURNAL: The Cultural Arts Center has become another controversial issue. Are plans on hold right now?
GARRISON: It’s not on hold. We’ve got the message from the commissioners that we need to get private funding. We have visited with a number of people. We’ve got some naming rights in the works. We have talked with some potential public-private development to help with the project. We’re still not comfortable with anything yet. With the economic downturn, it has put the project on hold for us. We have had some discussion about phasing it in and not trying to do it all at once. Those are some decisions we’re going to have to make. Do we try to phase it in? Do we abandon our plans all together? How are we going to fund it? That is an issue. We can’t really do either one with $4.5 million. We really need to figure this thing out. I think it is a need for our community. I think it is a forward-looking thing to do. I think you have to do some visionary things. I think this is a visionary project. With the economy and the downturn, people are questioning the funding and if it is really needed in the community. Maybe not. (But) I could see it being a driving force for that area of the county. I could also see it moving up to Hwy. 81 and supporting the growth and development going there. I want to keep an open mind about it. Hopefully, if I’m elected, we’ll work harder to make it happen or to adjust and go in a different direction.
NEWS/JOURNAL: You’ve been in office four years. You’re one person on the board, you have an administrative structure in place that runs things on a day to day basis, yet you’re the one that gets the phone calls. If something goes wrong, you get the blame. After four years of that type of thing, why on earth would you want it again?
GARRISON: (laughs) Unfinished business. I think we have some good things going. I really believe in public service. It’s all I have ever done. I feel like I can give back to the community my children have been raised in. It’s been my livelihood, my church home, my home away from home. I think it’s just a matter of dedication to public service. The criticisms come in and some of the criticisms are unjust and unfair. Once people get the facts, then I don’t have a problem with them disagreeing then. Get the facts, then, if you disagree, I can appreciate that. A lot of the time, when people get the facts, their opinions change. That’s the tough part of the job. I have no mechanism to do good PR work for the county. That’s a weakness of us as a county. That’s something I hope to improve. We don’t have the money to put a PR person in office, so we have to do a better job of that ourselves. My wife asked the same thing. She probably would have preferred I didn’t run the first time, but she has been supportive all the way through and I appreciate her for that. It’s certainly not the money. I am retired and was doing better the short time I was in real estate, but, as far as the finances go, it’s not for the money. I think it is, pure and simple, for public service and wanting to see Barrow County move forward and be progressive and be prepared for what’s coming in terms of the growth.
NEWS/JOURNAL: There’s been a lot of talk across the state with the economy being down about property tax rates and home valuations. A lot of people feel their homes are overvalued. Do you see Barrow County looking at the millage rate and lowering that to try and offset some of that perception, or is the county stuck where it is?
GARRISON: I think the tax assessor will make his valuations based upon his state mandate. I do know that probably statewide or nationally, they’re (property values) down. I haven’t been tracking them, so I don’t know what the values are here. It’s a tough question for me to answer without knowing what the valuations are and what some of the sale prices have been. Our volume, in terms of lots and residences that were out there a year ago, seem to have come down somewhat, so we’re getting some inventory gone. We’re still going to have a certain amount of services that we’re going to have to provide. So, we’ll have to look at it from a tax perspective to see what that’s going to do. But, I think it’s going to have to be the state to mandate what the tax assessors do. I don’t think the board of commissioners can mandate that the tax assessor lower assessments.
NEWS/JOURNAL: If the economy remains flat, do you see Barrow County having to do any major budget cuts in 2009 or 2010?
GARRISON: I think we’re probably going to have to tighten our belt this year because we’re opening up a jail and a courthouse brand new. We’re going to have some increased costs this year. At the same time, we’ve had less revenue coming in from licenses and permits as well as planning (fees). We’re probably going to be doing some consolidating. I don’t think we’ll be doing layoffs, but we’ll probably have to keep positions open, maybe reallocate some workloads and do some hard budget numbers in terms of what we can do. We’re probably going to have to look at storm water utility and some other revenue sources (fees) in order to pay some of these state mandates that are on us. We’re going to be looking hard at the revenue side as well as some consolidation where we can. Everybody always asks for new positions, but this may not be the year to do new positions. Even with public safety, it will have to be fully justified before we’ll do it.
NEWS/JOURNAL: What about pay raises for county employees? With the health insurance going up, do you foresee either no, or very modest pay increases, or passing along more health insurance costs?
GARRISON: We’re going to bid out our health services this year to see if there’s not some economy there. We may evaluate to see if there is a need to pass some of the cost to the employee, but more likely, we’re going to see if we can provide as good of service at a lower cost in terms of the health care side of things. On the salary side, I think the [raises] will be very modest – probably cost of living would be about it for this year.
NEWS/JOURNAL: What percent increase do you expect?
GARRISON: We haven’t evaluated it yet. It’s pure guess at this point. We are in the budget process, but we haven’t got to that point yet. I’m trying to get the budget balanced and know what we can do. We’ll have to be on the conservative side for cost of living increases.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Last year, the state put forth a proposal to do away with property taxes and replace them with a state sales tax. What is your view on that proposal?
GARRISON: I didn’t like the proposal because I think it is more government, not less government, when you have to go to Atlanta to take your needs for each community. From that perspective, I didn’t particularly like or support the bill. I do know that homeowners feel the biggest crunch. In Barrow County, we have tried to increase the commercial and industrial (tax base) and bring some retail type jobs here instead of sending all our sales tax to the Mall of Georgia and those kind of places. It would have been a difficult situation. We could have worked with it, but I think government should be closer to home than that. I think that would’ve been the biggest problem – not being able to address our own needs.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Lorraine Greene, candidate for chairman of Gwinnett County, has proposed eliminating the county portion of the property tax bill and replacing it with a one percent sale tax. Do you think this is a viable option for Barrow County?
GARRISON: It’s probably more viable for them (Gwinnett) than us because of their retail base. I think governments need to look at those kinds of things. There are a number of people who don’t pay a lot of tax, yet work in your community. I like the idea. Whether it would work for Barrow County, I have not assessed it to see what that might bring in and how much of the property tax it could offset. I’m sure it couldn’t offset all of it, but I’m sure it could offset some of it. I am more of a proponent of “fair tax,” or that type tax, than I am property taxes because it is a burden, especially for senior citizens, to pay school taxes. That’s probably the number one complaint I get. ‘When are you going to do something to help me with my school taxes?’ I don’t get questions so much about the county because 66 percent of our tax bill is schools. It’s a big burden, especially for senior citizens and retirees to have to continue to pay school tax. That’s why we did work on and get a reduction for those most critical, at need, senior citizens on fixed income to have an exemption for theirs, but that doesn’t help the average person.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Do you have a plan to exempt seniors from the school tax?
GARRISON: I want to continue to look at opportunities to lower their tax burden. I hope that we can get our tax base increased in terms of being able to have more sales tax as well as property taxes from industry. Maybe we can get to the point where we can get through some bill to lower their property taxes.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Some of your opponents have said the county debt is too high. Do you think the debt is too high?
GARRISON: I don’t think so. I think they might not fully understand the numbers. The financial report is good. We’ve got $9 million in reserves. Most of our debt will be paid for by utility fees or SPLOST money. The two land purchases (Segar property and Hwy 53/Hwy 316 tract) that have been in the news and have been questioned more than anything else are two that are an economic investment for our future. We’ve wanted to have something to really offer an industry. We’re not there yet, but at least we have land now. We will have to start making payments on that. They are bonded and will be secured by future tax dollars. We’ve had some folks looking, but we haven’t sold any of that yet.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Is that area a growth center for industrial development?
GARRISON: I think Hwy. 53 and Hwy. 316 have a good opportunity for growth. I think it’s a different story around the airport. It’s a protection zone number one, and it’s an opportunity for some light industry that could be associated with the airport or compatible with the airport and the community. We think there is some opportunity there. Our biggest problem with that site is transportation in terms of getting to I-85 or Hwy. 316. You wouldn’t expect a big company to go there or something that really needs easy in and easy out transportation like you would get at Hwy. 316 or I-85. The answer to the question overall is that I don’t think we’re in debt to the point where it will be a burden to the taxpayers.
NEWS/JOURNAL: All the candidates talk about controlled growth. How far should local governments go in attempting to control growth, or is that a role government should even play?
GARRISON: Controlled growth means different things to different people. Some people think controlled growth is no growth, status quo, keep the pristine countryside. I don’t take that approach to it. I believe a landowner has the right to do with, or sell, his property for highest and best use. If that’s for industrial or for a subdivision and it makes sense and is practical, then I support that. The kind of controlled growth that I do believe in is what we are trying to do through our new unified development code which is the document that governs how people can develop and build. It has increased the standards for growth. The overlay corridors are another thing we’ve done to try to increase standards and appearance. Trying to get more sewer throughout the county is another way to hopefully slow down the septic tank fields, which is a major concern for all of us in protecting our water supply.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Sewer is a double-edged sword to some extent because it does allow for higher-density development.
GARRISON: It does allow for higher density, but the higher density allows for more green space. You can higher density and set aside green space whereas if you were under the old rule, one lot per acre, you’re destroying something on every acre. There are trade-offs. We want more retail and commercial. That’s why we’re trying to put sewer first on some of these gateways. We fully believe that’s where our best economic growth is going to be. We want sewer there, but to get sewer there, you have to have rooftops for tap fees. You have to have so many rooftops before you get the commercial growth. We realize this growth has to be somewhat balanced. We’ve seen a lot of that. The Target development (and) the Home Depot are great for our communities. We need more of that and more is hopefully coming.
NEWS/JOURNAL: A lot of people would say that when counties run water and sewer and upgrade roads that you’re helping developers. How do you explain to the citizens that you are trying to attract commercial or industrial growth without being too far on the side of developers?
GARRISON: I understand that. I don’t really know how to answer it. We put sewer at Hwy. 81 and Hwy. 316. The only county money we spent has not resulted in any housing directly. (It has) indirectly because the line work was there, yes – here they come. The Dillard Heights development is a good example. We didn’t run it for Dillard Heights, we ran it for Home Depot and what’s happening there now. You have to get it to those major corridors and those major nodes. The commercial doesn’t use that much sewer. Economically, you would never pay for it with just commercial growth. You have to sell taps to homeowners to get that revenue. It is a tit-for-tat. We do need to be very cautious. We want to put this out there where the growth needs to be, not just all over the county. There are parts of the county we would not be interested in running sewer to because the only thing that would happen there is houses.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Looking back over the past four years, what is the best thing you have been able to accomplish?
GARRISON: I don’t think there is any one best thing. I think we have done a lot for employees in terms of making a better place to work and a teamwork atmosphere. I think we have been very employee friendly and have tried to improve the work place. I firmly believe the direction we’re going in as far as economic development is a plus. I think that we do deserve to be a live, work, play community where we don’t have to drive to Atlanta for good paying jobs. There have been over 1800 jobs brought to unincorporated Barrow County in the past four years. That a 40 percent increase in jobs. I think the economic direction we’re going in is a positive for our community.
NEWS/JOURNAL: What do you think should have been done differently in the past four years?
GARRISON: I think we have made great strides in terms of working with our municipalities, but we’re not there yet. I’m not pleased where we are there. I don’t know that we have made a major mistake along the way. We probably have waited too late to try to improve our transportation situation. I might could have been more aggressive and more productive in terms of trying to get the bypass and get state funds. We probably didn’t put a strong enough emphasis on it as a team. I probably would have tried to do some things differently there.
NEWS/JOURNAL: You mentioned not having a PR person. How do you plan to get information to the citizens?
GARRISON: People find it hard to come and ask the government questions. When I say the government, I mean me, or a staff person. People just don’t do it. They write a letter to the editor in a heartbeat, but they won’t pick up the phone and I wish they would. It’s not like we have secrets. We’d be glad to share what we have. An open door policy is what I am all about. PR-wise, I wish there was some way we could get more information out about our direction. The recreation plan, for instance. Some people might have heard of it. They don’t know what it is; they don’t know where we’re going, why we’re going there. You have to keep some type of education going. There should be a better way to lay that groundwork. We do hear from constituents and we do try to listen to constituents, but maybe we’re not involving them on the other end to show what we’re doing and why we’re doing it before we get to the implementation stage.
NEWS/JOURNAL: The Barrow County Republican Party has placed several questions on the ballot for voter input. Do you favor the permanent repeal of the federal estate tax?
GARRISON:Yes.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Should English be the official language of the State of Georgia?
GARRISON:Yes.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Would you favor raising any local taxes to pay for Barrow’s portion of the proposed ‘Brain Train’ between Athens and Atlanta?
GARRISON: No, not at this time. I think somewhere in our future, there is going to be some mass transportation. Whether it is the ‘Brain Train’ or MARTA type stuff, I don’t know. I like the concept, but the bill Barrow County would have to pay far exceed what I think the benefits would be. I support the concept, but I don’t think there is a mechanism yet to pay for it that I can support. We’re not ready for it yet.
NEWS/JOURNAL: Critics say the ILS system to be installed at the airport is antiquated and the maintenance cost will be high. Do you still support the installation of the ILS system?
GARRISON: It’s my understanding that the maintenance will be done by the Feds. It is a FAA funded and FAA maintained system. I know GPS is the thing of the future, but most people’s planes are not equipped with that. They are with ILS. That is standard equipment so I’ve been told. I don’t think the federal folks would be putting money into it if they didn’t think it was a necessary item for a general aviation airport.
NEWS/JOURNAL: The Cultural Arts Center has become another controversial issue. Are plans on hold right now?
GARRISON: It’s not on hold. We’ve got the message from the commissioners that we need to get private funding. We have visited with a number of people. We’ve got some naming rights in the works. We have talked with some potential public-private development to help with the project. We’re still not comfortable with anything yet. With the economic downturn, it has put the project on hold for us. We have had some discussion about phasing it in and not trying to do it all at once. Those are some decisions we’re going to have to make. Do we try to phase it in? Do we abandon our plans all together? How are we going to fund it? That is an issue. We can’t really do either one with $4.5 million. We really need to figure this thing out. I think it is a need for our community. I think it is a forward-looking thing to do. I think you have to do some visionary things. I think this is a visionary project. With the economy and the downturn, people are questioning the funding and if it is really needed in the community. Maybe not. (But) I could see it being a driving force for that area of the county. I could also see it moving up to Hwy. 81 and supporting the growth and development going there. I want to keep an open mind about it. Hopefully, if I’m elected, we’ll work harder to make it happen or to adjust and go in a different direction.
NEWS/JOURNAL: You’ve been in office four years. You’re one person on the board, you have an administrative structure in place that runs things on a day to day basis, yet you’re the one that gets the phone calls. If something goes wrong, you get the blame. After four years of that type of thing, why on earth would you want it again?
GARRISON: (laughs) Unfinished business. I think we have some good things going. I really believe in public service. It’s all I have ever done. I feel like I can give back to the community my children have been raised in. It’s been my livelihood, my church home, my home away from home. I think it’s just a matter of dedication to public service. The criticisms come in and some of the criticisms are unjust and unfair. Once people get the facts, then I don’t have a problem with them disagreeing then. Get the facts, then, if you disagree, I can appreciate that. A lot of the time, when people get the facts, their opinions change. That’s the tough part of the job. I have no mechanism to do good PR work for the county. That’s a weakness of us as a county. That’s something I hope to improve. We don’t have the money to put a PR person in office, so we have to do a better job of that ourselves. My wife asked the same thing. She probably would have preferred I didn’t run the first time, but she has been supportive all the way through and I appreciate her for that. It’s certainly not the money. I am retired and was doing better the short time I was in real estate, but, as far as the finances go, it’s not for the money. I think it is, pure and simple, for public service and wanting to see Barrow County move forward and be progressive and be prepared for what’s coming in terms of the growth.
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