Several sign up on 1st day to file for offices
Stalcup
Andrews – The Andrews Board of Aldermen will have at least one new face come December.
Alderman Scott Stalcup has decided not to seek re-election because he will not meet residency requirements next term.
“I’m building a house and moving outside of city limits,” Stalcup told the Cherokee Scout. “My house should be finished by December.”
A lot has happened since the rookie elected official took the oath of office in 2017. Stalcup inherited a broken system, as the prior administration had cash-flow problems due to overspending and poor financial controls, which prompted the state local government commission to step in.
“When I came into office, our unreserved fund balance was a negative number. Now it’s $1.6 million, plus or minus,” Stalcup said. “In the four years that I’ve been in office, we’ve set aside enough money that we can fix things if we need to, and this year we were able to lower taxes by more than 8 cents. It’s a big deal for us to be able to save enough money to lower taxes inside town limits.”
Additionally, the town has been plagued by turnover in several key divisions, worst of all the police department, which remains on ice as state officials probe events from mid-April that led to the entire force being suspended.
“It’s no secret that our Achilles’ heel has been our police department from day one,” Stalcup said. “I honestly don’t have an answer to fix that. You can talk to 100 people and half of them will say, ‘Turn it over to the sheriff’s department.’ The other 50 will say, ‘We need to maintain our own police force.’ ”
Stalcup said he feels the current administration has done “a lot of things right,” resulting in “a lot
of good” for the citizens of Andrews, while adding that “there’s always room for improvement.” The experience has been highly educational.
“No matter what you do, you’re not going to make everyone happy with every decision you make. I learned that quick,” Stalcup said, while advising future board members to remain open-minded and weigh all options before making a decision.
“Try to get along with other board members and other people [in the community]. Listen to their ideas and hear what they have to say.”
Stalcup said the future board needs to remain focused on improving the town’s infrastructure, while also advertising the benefits of Andrews to outsiders who may be considering a move.
“We need to let people know we’re not falling by the wayside. We want people to live and spend money in our town, but in order for them to do that, we need the infrastructure that will hold them,” he said. “There can be 5 million people wanting to buy a house in Andrews, but if we don’t have the infrastructure to handle producing water and managing the sewer system, those people aren’t going to stay around long.”
Mayor James Reid, who filed his candidacy for re-election Friday, said he will miss Stalcup’s input.
“He’s contributed a lot to the town’s board, and I do appreciate his service,” Reid said.
Alderman Steve Jordan plans to seek another term as well. He said there’s still work to do.
“I’m just trying to make Andrews better and keep this a safe place to live,” Jordan said.
The mayor’s seat and two aldermen seats are up for grabs in Andrews. Meanwhile, the mayor’s seat and all six council seats are available for the taking in Murphy.
Tim Radford, owner of WKRK radio, filed his candidacy for mayor of Murphy on opening day of the filing period.
“I’m looking forward to talking with all the departments of the city of Murphy and all the residents,” Radford said. “We’re going to hold some town hall meetings and listen to concerns.”
Anne Rose filed candidacy Friday for a seat on the Murphy Town Council.
“We need a lot of changes,” Rose said. “Change is good.”
The filing period to appear on the ballot in upcoming municipal elections ends at noon Friday, July 16.