There are two Republican candidates for chairman of the Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners.
Either challenger Jerry Wayne Loggans or incumbent Jay Paul will be chosen in the May 21 primary to face Democrat Patrick Kim Bonds in November.
The Oglethorpe Echo spoke with Paul and Loggans ahead of the primary about their plans and visions for the county.
Comments have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: What do you think is the biggest issue facing Oglethorpe County residents?
Loggans: They want change, but they’re scared of change. Like businesses coming in — housing’s coming up a little bit, but without more housing, the businesses are not going to come. You’ve got to get a few more houses, a few more residents to get the businesses in.
Paul: The pressure of what some people call “growth and development.” It’s not always a good thing. I think people get caught up seeing only the bright side of it. When I worked for the state, I traveled all over, and I saw some of the negative repercussions of growth outpacing infrastructure and all the other needs that are going to be necessary when growth hits.
Q: How do you feel about property taxes in the county?
Loggans: We can do a lot with property taxes. They’re selling 20-acre lots. They get a big tax break on that. They’re not paying their fair share because they’re getting a tax break. That means people who own five acres of land are paying their part of the taxes. There’s a lot of things we could do. Give tax breaks, especially for the elderly.
Paul: I’m a property taxpayer, too. So is my 84-year-old mother. So I’m always looking for taxes to be as least amount as possible while providing a quality service.
Q: Are you happy with the county’s dog ordinances?
Loggans: They have to be performed at a different level than what they’re being performed at. Several years back, there was an older couple in the county that did get attacked by dogs. But were they dogs? Were they coyotes? Without knowing exactly, you really don’t know.
Paul: I think we’re in good shape right now. If the county’s population continues to grow, that does not always encourage good things. When you put more people into an area, that encourages more problems with animals.
Q: How will you address concerns about inappropriate books in the public library?
Loggans: They need to be gone. There ain’t no need to address it. My philosophy is everybody go get a library card and take the books out of the library and just don’t return them. If they make you pay for the book, you pay for the book. I know it’s not right, don’t get me wrong, but that’s problem solved.
Paul: They’re being addressed right now. There’s a book in the library that I’ve made no secret I feel is inappropriate and pornographic. But I also respect the process that the people with the library are following right now.
Q: What are your plans for the Oglethorpe County Recreation Department?
Loggans: The rec department needs to be expanded, most definitely. We are turning children away down there. It should have been done a couple of years ago.
Paul: The rec department has been an area of concern for a while. If the county’s population continues to grow, and if participation continues to grow, we’d definitely have to look at some expansions.
Q: What do you most want voters to know about you personally?
Loggans: I’m a citizen of Oglethorpe County. I get the brunt of the same stuff they get. I’m trying to change some of the brunt on all of us. Some of the burden on all of us is what I’m trying to change.
Paul: I want to protect our quality of life because I love this county. I’ve lived here my whole life. I plan on staying here the rest of my life. And this job is the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. But one of the things that keeps me motivated is the fact that I love this county.
Q: Why are you the best candidate to be the Oglethorpe County Board of Commissioners chairman?
Loggans: I’m the one that has come up with all this stuff on changing. Everybody’s up in the air on whether or not they want to change. They want it to stay like it is. We can’t stay stuck in the ’70s.
Paul: I have a lot of respect for those two guys and anybody who is qualified to run for any of these positions. I tip my hat to them and I wish them all the best of luck.