By Cale Colby
A total of eight candidates qualified for the upcoming elections for the Board of Education and the Board of Commissioners. Three seats were up for grabs on the County Board of Commissioners including District 2, District 3, and District 4. Of these, incumbents Ken Hall representing District 2 and Bettye Bozeman representing District 3 both qualified unopposed to seek another term. However, the District 4 set will be up for grabs as local farmer Kemp Willis will run against incumbent Billy McDonald to represent the County’s southernmost district.
As for the Board of Education, seats for District 1 and District 4 will also be reclaimed by the respective incumbents Melvin Jefferson and Randy Bacon who are also running unopposed. However, the Chairman’s seat is also up for grabs in the upcoming election. Longtime Worth County High School English teacher Sue Youngblood as well as Mr. Hubert Souter each qualified to run for the seat left vacant by Mr. Butch Jenkins.
Jenkins has served as the Board of Education’s Chairman for the last 12 years. Last week, the current chairman stated in an interview with the Sylvester Local, “This has been a good experience for me and hopefully those board members, administrators, superintendents, and staff that I’ve had the opportunity to work with. I know either one of these candidates will bring new and fresh ideas and move the board in a new direction.”
Jenkins continues, ” I have enjoyed my tenure on the Board of Education. I have had the privilege to work with good people, but sometimes it’s good to let these positions regenerate. So, I’m going to let go of the reigns and move on so that the school system can push forward. I’ve enjoyed it. There is nothing negative that I feel. It’s just time to let someone new take over.”