3 qualify to run for Catoosa Commission chairman
Three people have qualified to run in the Catoosa County Board of Commissioners race for chairman (also known as District 5): Nick Ware, Larry Black and Ernie Pursley.
The special election for the seat recently vacated by Steven Henry will be held on the same schedule as the general primary, with an official date of May 24 and early voting beginning May 2.
Separate ballots and voting machines will be used for the Board of Commissioners’ chairman race, but dates and locations are the same as for the general primary.
THE CANDIDATES
Nick Ware is a lifelong Catoosa County resident. Among his concerns about the county are sensible economic growth, responsible stewardship of tax dollars, and close to his heart, accessible facilities and public places for those who face physical challenges.
Ware says he is committed to transparency in government, to freedom of speech and to thinking ahead and having plans for potential problems like pandemics. He says the role of chairman is not to dictate but to delegate and support the other commissioners. He says commissioners should have the chairman’s support in resolving issues in their districts.
Ware describes his line of work as a consultant who designs infrastructure for technology systems in healthcare and senior living facilities, manufacturing and agriculture plants and data centers. Simply put, Ware says he’s a low-voltage engineer who brings knowledge of technology and how make the best use of it to the table as the world changes.
Larry Black is a lifelong resident of Catoosa County who retired last year from his career in law enforcement. Over the course of his career, Black has worked as jail administrator under former Sheriff Phil Summer, commander of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force and his last eight years as an investigator with the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.
Black also served four years on the Ringgold City Council. He currently continues his side excavating business that specializes in installing septic tanks and field lines.
Black says he thinks the current Board of Commissioners is doing a good job but that continual improvement should always be a goal. He says he would like to be a part of that improvement by serving as chairman of the board.
is a lifelong Catoosa
County resident. He says that one of his concerns about the county is preserving its heritage. He says people move here because they enjoy the look and atmosphere of the area and he doesn’t want to see that lost for those people or for the families who have lived here for generations. He’s also concerned about the preservation of local farms and farmers.
Pursley believes in growth but feels it should be controlled. He would like to see people more engaged with their communities and local government through town meetings, as well as in other ways. He says he wants to keep taxes as low as possible.
Pursley’s career includes a number of years as a carpenter, time in manufacturing with Dupont, and 30 years as a truck driver. He says he’s also a retired Teamster.
If one of the three candidates wins 50 percent plus one of the votes, that candidate will fill the vacant chair position. If no candidate receives the required number of votes to win, a run-off election between the top two vote-getters will take place on June 21.