Meet the candidates for Walker County Board of Commissioners District 3
Three candidates, all Republicans, are running for the District 3 seat on the Walker County Board of Commissioners: incumbent Brian Hart, Melvin Von Moody and Courtney Johnson.
(Editor’s note: Candidate Courtney Johnson did not return a questionnaire.) ects, and Sub-Title D Landfill construction/operation.
I currently own and operate a Cattle Farm in Villanow where we farm about 230 acres raising feeder cattle and hay.
Political history: 2020-Present, Walker County Commissioner/District 3; 2017-Present, Appointed County Supervisor for the Coosa River Soil and Water Conservation District
Volunteer work, associations, etc.: Board Member/Vice President, Walker County Farm Bureau; Board Member, Limestone Valley R, C & D; Member, Tri-State Cattlemen’s Association; Member, Walker County Young Farmers; Member, American Legion Post 339; Member, LaFayette First United Methodist Church
One or two living elected officials within the state of Georgia whom you admire: Mike Cameron: Since being elected, Mike has been a true servant for our area serving as our District 1 Representative. He is always willing to assist with any issues we have and is truly grateful to serve. Governor Brian Kemp: He always stands firm in the decisions that he makes and appears to be truly concerned for the future of our state.
Why are you the best choice for the office you seek? I feel that my experiences in the military and my 30 years of work with a neighboring county truly helps me make the best decisions for Walker County. The first 4 years of our Board of Commissioners form of government have been challenging, but I strongly feel that we have moved the county forward in a positive direction.
We have made great strides in decreasing our county debt and should have this resolved this year.
We have made significant improvements to our infrastructure in the past four years and have much more in motion to be completed in the near future.
Over the last four years, the BOC has worked hard to improve employee wages and benefit packages. Our employees are very important to us, and we must continue to ensure that we are doing all that we can to make Walker County Government a great place to work.
Contact info: Facebook: www.facebook.com/brianhart67; Phone: 706-3978006; Email: brianhart@ windstream.net
Political party: Republican
Personal: I’ve been married to my wife Erica for 23 years and we have been together for 29 years (we met in 6th grade and have been together since). I have two boys, Austin who is 16 and graduates from LaFayette High School this year and is the current band captain, and Aiden, who is 15 and just got his learner permit. My wife Erica home schools Aiden and has been doing so for about six years now. We moved to LaFayette in February of 2020 and purchased a small farm in town with the hopes of retiring here. Most of our lives were spent in the North Georgia area, primarily in Rome and Cartersville. Both of my parents have passed away: My father, Von Moody (45), who lived in Tullahoma, Tennessee, at the time of his passing, and my mother, Shirley Parker (63), who lived in her hometown of Brewton, Ala., which is where she and my father met.
Work history: Area Sales Manager for PepsiCo with three facilities (Rome, Ellijay and Chattanooga). I’ve been with PepsiCo since 2003 and started as a frontline employee as a fill-in route driver. My current role is responsible for the full operations for three facilities, which includes 250 employees, 2,000+ customers, and the P&L for each location.
Volunteer work, associations, etc.: Erica, Austin and Aiden volunteer at the Care Mission in LaFayette as they can. With PepsiCo, our locations support the Children’s Advocacy Center in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and other local organizations within the community. We currently attend the Cowboy Church in LaFayette.
Why are you the best choice for the office you seek? I’m running for office for one reason — for the people. I believe in business, which comes down to two things — doing what’s right for the business, and more importantly, doing what’s right for the people.
Everything else will fall into place as long as you’re committed to these two principles. I will actively listen to the citizens and not ignore them or their concerns. I will be accessible, with an open line of communication and be honest with people even if it’s not a popular answer, as it will be received better if you’re just open and honest. I am not afraid to speak up and stand up for what’s right for the citizens of Walker County.
I believe in budgeting within what is available and rearranging where you can, without having to add extra tax to pay for certain things. I will bring all of this, honesty and transparency, to the board of commissioners.
Contact info: Email: melvin.moody@outlook.com; Phone: 423-668-7073; Facebook: www.facebook.com/ melvinvonmoody; Website: https://melvinmoodyforwalkercountydist.godaddysites.com
Tamara Wolk is a reporter for The Catoosa County News in Ringgold, Ga., and Walker County Messenger in LaFayette, Ga.