Candidates get candid on FYN's morning show

Candidates get candid on FYN’s morning show

Election 2020, FYNTV September 1, 2020 , by Susan Kirkland

David Shouse

Kris Stancil

Candidates for the Pickens County Board of Commissioners Chairman took their turn on FYN’s Morning Show to discuss their reasons for running, what they envisioned for Pickens County and other nuances of the chairman. Both candidates said they would be willing to debate on FYNTV. Keep checking back for details.

Why did the candidates decide to run?

For Kris Stancil, the idea to run morphed from serving on the committee that formulated the Comprehensive 10-year plan for the county 18 years ago. The plan is a list of goals members of the community would like to see happen and aids the commissioners in making decisions based on that plan. He said the opportunity created an “air of excitement.”

He sat in on the most recent committee to plan the next ten years and was disappointed to realize the goals for the next ten years was the exact same.

“It was frustrating to see we had not been breaking that plan into pieces and going forward with it,” he said. He added at the time current chairman, Rob Jones had said he was retiring, but hadn’t made a public announcement about, so Stancil said after a lot of discussion, he decided to retire. Jones did not retire, but ran in the primaries, losing to Stancil.

“It’s a chance to serve in a different role,” he said.

For David Shouse, he saw first hand how cumbersome and complex government had become and wanted to simplify it. He credits his business career started by building a successful security company and then getting into developing and was able to see what it took to bring jobs into the community.

“Every time I’d want to do something, I would get ‘why do you want to that? We can’t do that’ That’s not my mentality. Where there is a will, there is a way.”

Transparency

Both candidates stressed the importance of transparency in government.

Shouse said he works to answer every questions whether he likes it or not. When asked how he plans to do something, (my opponent) doesn’t answer. I answer how. Shouse said he learned a lot about the problems people face by meeting them while collecting signatures.

“I hear ‘my road hasn’t been cleaned in six months’ or ‘my road hasn’t been paved in nine years,” he said. “I want an online system for residents to create their own ticket, allowing an easy process to follow process.”

He added that social media has created a new influx of ways to open communication and he’d like to find ways to use it.

Stancil said transparency is critical for trust and also believes in creating more ways for people to speak candidly about issues. He said town hall meetings are a good way to allow people. He said it was important for county meetings to follow Robert’s Rules of Order in order to get the business side of government done, but that residents should have a way to come speak.

“I’m not a big fan of closed door meetings,” he said. “I’d rather have it done in public.”

As for answering questions, Stancil said he will answer questions, but avoids getting baited into needless arguments. While he does promise to answer all questions, he said it may not be immediate due to his work responsibilities.

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Goals

The candidates share goals for improving the animal shelter being a no-kill shelter and ideas for improving the county.

Stancil said he’d like to change the tone of the government by shifting from a political force to professional services. One thing he wants to do is support the animal shelter as it becomes a no-kill shelter and to help animal control, which are related but provide services.

“We have to have a big conversation and start being open about these issues,” said Stancil adding that he’d like to see the parks and recreation department offer more services and he believed the Special Local Option Sales Tax would help move the department in that direction.

As far as budget, he said starting the task sooner, rather than later, with the comprehensive plan guiding them will help move the county to being proactive rather than reactive in their decisions.

Shouse, too, wants a new animal shelter and while he means no offense to the employees of the shelter, he’d rather see the animals in a nice facility with big runs, which could be built on some of the government land currently not being used.

“We also need to improve our roads and create better infrastructure. We don’t have sewer so we are still dependent. I want a reservoir, not just for water, but recreation. We’ve also set ourselves up to be a retirement community, but the accessibility is atrocious, from what I hear from our seniors,” said Shouse.

He said that while he wants sewer, not having it shouldn’t stop jobs from coming to Pickens County and said some large companies, like UPS, didn’t need infrastructure but would employ several hundred people at $25 per hour. Those jobs should go to residents first.

“Bring in good jobs and suddenly unaffordable housing is affordable, buying a car is affordable,” he said. “I’m a deal maker. I can get us the amenities without raising taxes.”

Campaigning

The candidates have 61 days until election an both plan on speaking to people. . .and listening.

Shouse said campaigning is like a job interview and while he doesn’t like negative politics, he will say what he’s heard and what he has experienced.

“I’ve had people tell me they would vote for me but didn’t want to sign the petition because they didn’t want the sheriff to be able to see it because they were afraid of backlash,” said Shouse, adding he didn’t know if they experienced backlash. He said on a personal level, he’s had people tell him to “get his wife on a leash” because they wanted his opponent to win so the sheriff’s department would have an open check book.

“I have confirmed it was Stancil’s co-workers. Like my opponent, I get negative stuff. I don’t like using it, but it’s like a job interview.”

Stancil said campaigning for the next two months will be focusing on what Pickens County wants to accomplish.

He said he wants to run a campaign that is focused on what he can do for the residents, not mud-slinging.

“It’s a strategy I’m not willing to take,” said Stancil. “From my personal faith, I don’t think God honors someone who (attacks his opponent).”

Stancil said his goal is to be available and speak to as many people as he can to share what he can do as chairman. “Our community expects decency and respect and I’m focused on our county not a person.”

WATCH KRIS STANCIL'S INTERVIEW ON FYN.        WATCH DAVID SHOUSE'S INTERVIEW ON FYN.

Public concerns

The candidates each realize the voters have concerns about each of them and they want to put the voter’s at ease.

Stancil said residents have asked if his employment in the sheriff’s office, where he has been the last 12 years, will make him partial to that office if he is elected as the board chairman.

“The sheriff’s office gets about 25-percent of the budget but it’s just one of many parts and it won’t receive any more attention or more focus, but I’m not going to ignore them because public safety is important for community growth.

Shouse said one concern people have about voting for an independent is that, if elected, he will come in and fire everyone.

“PIckens County has hundreds of employees,” said Shouse, saying he wanted to have a meeting with employees to introduce himself and find out what their job is and how it can be done better.

“I take care of my people,” he said, pointing out that any employee who left his security company eventually came back. “If we see someone needs a promotion or someone does something better, we’ll make adjustments. Firing is the most difficult job, it affects families and you really have to think about that.”

While he understands the concern, Shouse said there are some aspects of county jobs that should be addressed. “We should hire based on ability, not based on if their grandfather had that position.”