Adams
Ben Adams said he understands Cherokee County has changed too much to ever go back to being what it was in decades past. His goal is not to stop growth within the county, but to preserve the charm and pride of its residents.
“My son summed it up perfectly,” Adams said. “He’s 21 years old, he said, ‘We’ve lost the small town, but if we can keep the charm, we’re set.’
“It bothers me that people go out of town to spend money or enjoy life. I’d like to bring some pride back.”
Adams has spent almost a full year on the campaign trail in Cherokee County, after announcing his bid to run for commissioner in May 2021. The Republican candidate is vying for the District 3 seat being vacated by Gary “Hippie” Westmoreland, who is not seeking re-election.
Adams is married with two children and is a native of Cherokee County. His professional experience includes time as a paramedic and seven years as pastor of a local church.
“I’ve always wanted to be a county commissioner, always have, ever since I worked for the county,” Adams said. “I truly want to see our county grow.”
Adams said recreation should be an important focus in Cherokee County. He would like to see the campground in Hanging Dog reopened and tailored to support camping with amenities.
“This is a beautiful place,” Adams said. “We have the rivers, and we don’t take advantage of any of the rivers we’ve got.
“If we could somehow open up, one, the waters would be amazing, the things you could do. I know that takes work with the TVA and nothing is done overnight, but I’d love for us to get better use of the waters.”
Adams has a variety of other ideas about ways to improve Cherokee County, ranging from a senior center to a basketball complex that could attract more visitors. He said he is happy to see the county fair returning this year, and believes it should be rotated between Andrews, Murphy and the western side of the county in future years. He also is in favor of the Cherokee County Saddle Club’s proposal to build a covered horse arena, which could bring about 40 events per year to the county.
“If you could pay for it in five years, even, you’ve cashed in,” Adams said. “I know we don’t have money and there are lawsuits (against the county), but we can’t quit living based on fear.”
Finance is a central issue in Cherokee County with numerous pending lawsuits against the county and Department of Social Services. Adams said commissioners have to find a way to move forward despite the pending litigation.
“We can’t stop being a county,” Adams said. “We still have to function, and we still have to keep moving.”
Adams brushed off suggestions that the county simply needs to find ways to trim its budget to help save money. He does not see much room to tighten a county budget due to the amount of money tied up in key services like law enforcement, EMS and fire department.
“Almost all the county budget is tied up in those services,” Adams said. “If you’ve never worked in county government before, the budget is already pretty dang tight. That’s what kind of kills me when people say, ‘We need to tighten the budget.’”
Adams said he tends to view many issues the same way as board members Jan Griggs and Cal Stiles. Like Griggs, Adams said he supports construction of the new EMS Station 1, but not at a cost of $433 per square foot.
“I align with Jan,” Adams said. “Jan has openly supported me.”
Adams said he has received false critiques during his campaign, including the accusation that he supports zoning. He said he does not support zoning, but he would like to see some group formed that can plan for the future of Cherokee County.
Maybe more than anything else, Adams wants to be identified as a candidate who can create positive change.
“If you’re looking for a candidate that’s going to keep things the same way, that’s not me,” Adams said.
“I am not that guy.”