With the swearing in of new elected officials next month, the five-member Macon County Board of Commissioners will be fully Republican. Republicans John Shearl, Gary Shields and Danny Antoine were the top vote getters in the races for District 1 and District 2 in the November General Election. Ronnie Beale, a Democrat, lost his bid for re-election in District 2 after having served on the board for 16 years.
The new commissioners will be sworn in the evening of Dec. 5 (time to be announced) and convene for an organizational meeting to elect a new chairman, vice chair and conduct other business. The agenda for that meeting has not been set yet. The next regular meeting of the Board of Commissioners will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13.
District 1
In the District 1 race, John Shearl received 9,350 votes (62.67%) defeating Jerry Moore, who ran as an unaffiliated candidate and received 5,570 votes (37.33%). Jim Tate, who had represented the district on the board for 11 years, did not run for re-election.
“I would like all of the voters to know, I am humbled and grateful for their support, trust and vote,” Shearl said.
As a new board member, Shearl said in his first term his goal is to “bring total transparency to our people, adopt and live inside a budget, invest your tax dollars wisely, provide essential services to our residents, and have mutual respect between our county government and our citizens.”
In addition to electing a new chair and vice chair, Shearl said the board will need to start discussions on the new budget, the 2023 property reevaluation, and begin prioritizing infrastructure needs and repairs to existing buildings and properties, including the schools, while making sure “the people’s government is operating effectively and efficiently.”
District 2
There were two seats up for election in District 2. Gary Shields received 9,794 votes (36.46%) in his re-election; he has served on the board since 2014. Danny Antoine was the second-highest vote getter with 9,179 votes (34.17%). Democratic candidates Ronnie Beale and Betty Cloer Wallace received 5,295 (19.71%) and 2,596 (9.66%) votes, respectively.
“It has truly been an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Macon County for the past 16 years,” Beale said. “Moving forward I hope the new commissioners the best. At the end of the day, we’re all Maconians.”
Beale said he plans to remain involved in the community and spend some time deer hunting and loving his new grandbaby.
Shields said being elected for a third term tells him the voters have confidence in him. “This puts a lot of pressure on a person, but at the same time this is a signal from the voters that they approve of the method used in making decisions for the county. I am not a spur of the moment person who makes critical decisions without studying the content.”
As he begins this next term, Shields said he wants to listen to the two new board members to determine how they perceive their duties in moving the county forward. “I hope that our board leadership will share their plans for the county,” he said.
Shields said priorities for him in the coming year include education about the tax reevaluation process, capital projects and maintaining a focus on the safety and well-being of citizens, health and human services and education. He pointed out those areas make up about 70% plus of the county’s annual budget.
Antoine said he appreciates all those who supported him in the election. “I have traveled to many places in my lifetime and have met some amazing people. But here, in Macon County, I have to say you are the best. I have met the most beautiful, kind, generous and loving people. A huge community of supporters. I will work tirelessly to not let you down.”
When asked what he wants to accomplish as a commissioner, Antoine said, “I hope to help bridge the gap between the leadership within our governing bodies. To stop sowing division and discord amongst the people, but to work alongside each department for the betterment of Macon County. To begin the conversations of planning, researching, implementing, and investing to begin the building back of Macon County.”
He said some of the issues to address include bringing in new businesses and jobs that pay a living wage, education, trade schools, transparency, the drug epidemic, housing, the needs of first responders, and the needs of children.
He wants to work with the other commissioners to review and address the immediate and future needs of the county and not to continue “kicking the can down the road.” As he takes office, Antoine said one of his first priorities would be to “bring prayer back, in order to have guidance from the Almighty to ensure we serve well.”
Franklin High School project
The need for a new high school was one of the frequently talked about issues during the election. There have been two joint meetings of the Board of Commissioners and the Board of Education to review proposed plans for the school. Last month the commissioners approved schematic designs for the school that were to be presented to state and local review agencies. However, that approval did not obligate the board to the project.
Shields was principal of Franklin High School for 21 years, and construction of a new high school is one of his priorities. He said he wants to meet with the two new commissioners to review the pros and cons of a new high school. “I would like to have this meeting before they are sworn in at the December meeting because I can meet with both members at once. These two new members may not have had access to the print materials nor school or county leadership input that would enhance their understanding of the new Franklin High School project,” he said.
Shearl said he has not been part of the research and planning for the new school. “I would love to see a new school; however, I think there are a lot of unanswered questions and concerns. A couple of the most serious questions are the total cost of the project and how are we going to pay for it?”
The cost of the new school as presented to date is estimated to be $118,420,233, which includes $10,304,560 to account for cost escalation and $7,360,400 in contingency. The present-day value of the building is $73,603,998. Construction of a new stadium accounts for $14,175,455 of the total. If construction began in the coming year, it is scheduled to be finished in 2026.
Antoine said he is excited to work with the new board on the Franklin High School project. “I understand that Mr. Shields and Mr. Young have invested hours and hours in this project and look forward to moving forward with them and the others,” he said. “I will be meeting with a few key individuals to help move us in the right direction in a timely fashion to make this project a success.”