CANDIDATE PROFILES
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first and only installment of candidate profiles in Bowie County races. The Gazette requested that candidates not exceed a character limit on each question to provide fairness and equality in coverage and article length. Aside from minor changes and editing, the candidate responses are being printed as submitted. In this installment, the Bowie County Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 Place 2 race is highlighted, with Republican Todd Fore and Democrat Jimmy Wesson.
Todd Fore
Biographical
Spouse and children: Wife, Joanna Fore; sons, Jason Fore and Colby Fore; daughter-in-law, Samantha Fore; grandchildren, Steven Fore and Luke Fore
Age: 48
Years a Bowie County resident: 39 Political party: Republican Highlight your top three degrees and/or educational achievements:1987 Graduate of Hooks High School
1991 Graduate of East Texas Police Academy Master Peace Officer
List your current job and employer and your top three occupational achievements:
I work for Bowie County Sheriff’s Office. I have been with Bowie County for 19 years.Of the 19 years, I have been a supervisor for 14 years and 9 years as a lieutenant.
I was named Officer of the Year in 2002-03 and have been a leader in drug arrests and seizures.
I spent 7 years as a K-9 officer. Highlight the top three examples of your civic or community service:I joined the Hooks Volunteer Fire Department at the age of 14.
I am the president and a founding member of the Bowie County Dive Team (a volunteer underwater search, rescue and recovery organization).
I have been elected president every two years since the team started in 2005.
Highlight the top three examples of your political experience:
I have never run for any political office, however, with my leadership ability and my experience at being fair and impartial, I believe I will make a great candidate for this office.
Political Why did you run for office?
Justice of the peace is a position I have thought about for years. After careful consideration and prayer, my wife and I believed that this is the best route for our family to take and believe that this is the direction that God intended for us to go.
In your opinion, what is the most important function of a justice of the peace?
The justice of the peace is the legal jurisdiction closest to the average citizen. I believe there are several important functions of a justice of the peace. Setting bonds, having hearings on class C misdemeanors, resolving landlord tenant disputes and settling small claims suits are all very important.
If elected, do you plan to quit your current job? Why or why not?
If elected, I will have to quit working for the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office, as it would cause a conflict of interest. I do not plan to retire, as this is still a Bowie County job. I would continue to work for Bowie County in the role of justice of the peace and continue to build and pay into my retirement account.
The Issues
What are the three most pressing issues facing the person who fills this office?
With the Bowie County area increasing to 20 state troopers, this office is going to see a dramatic increase in citations coming to this office.
Recent legislation which has changed truancy from a criminal to a civil case makes it difficult for the schools and justices of the peace to take effective action on truancy violators.
How would you address them?
It is going to take our justices of the peace working closer than ever with the court clerks in order to keep up with the demand necessary to compensate with the increase of citations seen by the office.
If elected, I plan to work with our school administrators and with schools in larger cities that have already had to find ways to keep kids in school, in order to determine what is working and what is not. I believe it is important to make sure our youth stay in school and get the education they need to live a more productive life. I also believe it is important not to punish the parents who are truly working to keep their kids in school.