The man behind The Packet wants a spot on the Lowndes County Board of Supervisors, and the paper”s new co-owner is running for circuit clerk.
Roger Larsen, founder and 19-year owner, operator and reporter for the Columbus paper, qualified to run for the position of District 5 supervisor as an independent.
“Leroy Brooks has had the job for almost 25 years. I think it would be beneficial to the district to have a change,” said Larsen.
As a journalist, Larsen has attended almost every supervisors meeting for close to 20 years. He believes that familiarity with the board”s responsibilities and procedures has prepared him for a seat at the supervisors” table.
Most of his effort, he said, will be focused on job recruitment.
“That”s the single most crucial problem we face,” he said.
Readers of The Packet, he said, will be familiar with his stance on most issues, as he has opined regularly on most city and county topics.
The 62-year-old said he has “no interest” in politics beyond the county board.
Before starting The Packet, Larsen was self-employed for 10 years as a carpenter. He holds a bachelor”s degree in economics from Kansas State University.
Larsen will face the winner of the Democratic primary between Brooks and Kenneth McFarland.
The local businessman who bought The Packet from Larsen last year, Justin Shelton, is also making his first foray into public elections with hopes of becoming circuit clerk.
As the owner of Justin International Products, a textiles business, Shelton, 36, has observed politics for some time and felt the urge to get involved.
“I think they need some fresh faces in office and circuit clerk was the position that kind of intrigued me. I like dealing with the election process,” he said. “At the risk of sounding cliché, we need some new blood in the system.”
Shelton expects his inexperience in politics to be a strike against him but feels his experience as a successful business owner gives him more to offer.
“I think experience, sometimes it”s good and sometimes it”s bad,” said Shelton, who qualified as a Republican. He”ll face incumbent Mahala Salazar, who is running as an independent. Shelton co-owns The Packet, a weekly newspaper, with editor Colin Krieger.
More qualify for supervisor
A host of additional candidates qualified Monday as the qualifying deadline approaches today at 5 p.m.
Bill Brigham, 66, put his name in the hat as a Republican for the District 2 supervisor seat. He”ll face incumbent Frank Ferguson.
The twice-retired Columbus banker says his background in finance has equipped him to understand a budget as large as Lowndes County”s.
“That”s one of the biggest things the board does is deal with the economics of our community. I feel like I have a lot to offer in that realm,” said Brigham.
This will be Brigham”s first shot at public office. He considered running in 2007 but passed to avoid any conflicts of interest with his wife”s, Allegra Brigham, position as CEO of 4-County Electric. Allegra Brigham retired from 4-County and is now the interim president of Mississippi University for Women.
Bill Brigham has long been involved in the community, serving on the former Chamber of Commerce and boards for the Red Cross and YMCA. He hopes to foster harmony and teamwork among the county board.
Willie J. Petty, 55, qualified for the supervisor seat in District 1. The preacher hopes to bring peace to the board of supervisors.
“I know we”ve got a lot of industry but there”s a lot of conflict between the city and county. I don”t know why because it”s all Lowndes County,” said Petty. “It should be a smoother relationship.”
Petty says he”s ready for the role of supervisor because he”s been a public servant all his life. In addition to preaching, he”s worked at, and retired, from a multitude of jobs. He worked for the post office, as a full-time and substitute teacher, at Sears, at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle and a security company.
“Most of the people I come in contact with have some complaints. They”re looking for a change. I”ll do whatever is right and honest and I really think we can move Lowndes County to higher ground,” said Petty.
Petty is running as a Democrat. Incumbent Harry Sanders is unopposed in the Republican primary.
Mike Smith is counting on his political experience to win his old seat. The former District 3 Supervisor from 2004 to 2008 qualified to face incumbent John Holliman.
“The people of District 3 have been calling me and saying we need a voice to stand up for our district. With four years experience, I”m already prepared,” said Smith. “The first time it takes a couple of years to get your feet on the ground. From past experience I”m already involved in economic development and the industrial part of it.”
Smith, 58, a small business owner for 16 years, qualified as an independent this time around.
“I wanted everybody to have a chance to vote for somebody. On a local level we have to service all the people and I want to give everyone that opportunity,” he said.
Education, constable races
Rusty Greene, 48, waded into a growing field of candidates for Lowndes Superintendent of Education.
Greene is a former Lowndes County School District employee and current athletic director at Columbus schools. While with Lowndes schools he taught and coached baseball at West Lowndes High School from 1992 to 1998 before transferring to Caledonia High School. He transitioned to assistant principal of Caledonia Middle School from 2001 to 2009. He also sent two children through the Lowndes school system.
“I”m well aware of the administrative, teaching and parenting part of the district. I know it from all aspects. There are things I”ve observed I think we can improve on,” said Greene. “Sometimes a fresh perspective is needed to move the district forward.”
Greene qualified as an independent. Four current or past employees of the LCSD have also qualified to seek the district”s top office.
Wayne Crowson, 66, is preaching harmony from the very beginning of his bid for District 1 Constable.
“I don”t have anything against (current District 1 Constable Willie) “Hoot” West. I”d just like to have his job,” he said.
Crowson lost his appetite for public office after losing a bid for constable years ago, but he”s hungry again. The 25-year small business owner has worked as an auxiliary police officer for the Columbus Police Department and the Lowndes County Deputy Sheriff”s Office through the years.
However, Crowson says it”s his work as a businessman which will serve him best as constable, a job which involves working solo much of the time.
“You”ve got to have determination to stay self-employed. I thought maybe I can help the people in the county and my district,” said Crowson.
Additional qualifiers not reached for comment include Columbus Police Officer Barry Goode as a Republican for sheriff and Leon Hines for District 3 Justice Court Judge.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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