Profile: John Edwards, 1st District Perry County Commissioner (R)

Date of birth: May 25, 1945

Place of birth: San Antonio, Texas

Spouse: Brenda Edwards

Children's names: Jona, 22, Jennifer Dorenkamp, 23, Steve Parker, 27, Kari Rhodes, 32

Occupations: retired

Businesses owned: Dogs 'n Suds, Best Insulation Co., Heartland Windows, Doors and More Co.

Public offices: none

1. What is the biggest reason you are running?

Answer: I am a retired businessman, after 35 years as a factory sales representative and district manager of five states. I have the experience and time to run the county in a professional common sense manner.

2. What the biggest issues facing Perry County, and how do you plan to address them?

Answer: 1. Perry County's annual budget for 2009. We must find a way to preserve energy in all departments of the county. With the highway and bridge equipment and sheriff's cars and equipment fuel for the fiscal year 2008 will be totally underbudgeted. Of course, due to the fact of the high cost of fuel, the budget can't be held accountable for 2008. My proposal is to mandate all maintenance on all of our county equipment and to find ways to preserve fuel consumption.

2. Tax levying for fiscal year 2009 this is going to be a major concern because of the increase of fuel and increase in our children's education and the lack of maintenance on our county properties. We must find a way that will cover all these areas of concern without increasing taxes. We are now burdened with tax on everything that we worked so hard to own. I believe that Perry County needs to increase our industry and agricultural business in order to maintain our present tax base.

3. Maintaining family values, Perry County families are facing the nationwide concerns of drugs, decreased job market and high cost of energy and consumer goods. Many of these things mentioned are not within our control solely by Perry County commissioners. But with a strong enforced sheriff department and our friends from the state drug enforcement officers and education for all citizens of our county we should be able to reduce a large portion of the problem of Perry County drugs. I believe that with the planning commission and the commissioners working together we should be able to recruit new industry for our hard working community. This will also help with our future tax base. Our main concern today for all citizens of Perry County is the increased cost for fuel, energy, consumer good and health costs. We the commissioners have no control on our health costs, fuel costs, energy or some consumer goods. But I believe as a county in whole we can control many of these concerns by becoming a more self-sufficient county. There are so many avenues that we can explore to make Perry County a more self-sufficient county. Such as replacement as needed on county equipment that is more fuel-efficient.

3. How do you feel the county government should work with cities and townships within the county?

Answer: I believe as citizens of Perry County we are all in these things together. We should be working hand in hand with each other. We the people of Perry County are the control of our city, township and county government. For all the concerns we have with these areas we should become part of the solution to resolve the problems. Get involved call your county officials as well as your city and township officials communicate the issues and your solution to the problems. As the old saying goes, "two heads are better than one."

4. Why do you feel you are the best candidate for the job?

Answer: I believe given the change to be commissioner of our 1st District, I can bring fresh ideas and a common-sense approach to problem solving. "Let's get back to the basics of running our county."