Fannin County May 2022 Primary Results
Board of Commissioners, Board of Education, Election May 24, 2022
FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — Georgia’s May 24, 2022 primary has received nationwide attention over its U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races. For Fannin County voters, the ballots also included two seats on the Fannin County Board of Education and the Post 2 seat on the Fannin County Board of Commissioners. The primary results came in late on Tuesday evening.
After polls closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening, results from all 12 voting precincts were not given until after 10 p.m. Fannin County saw a total of 2,184 early and absentee ballot votes, and unofficial results from the Georgia Secretary of State website show a turnout of almost 32%. While an official summary and certified results were not yet ready, the initial primary results were given at the Fannin County Courthouse.
Board of Commissioners
Larry Syputa ran unopposed in the Democratic primary for Post 2 Commissioner.
Patterson is the incumbent Post 2 Commissioner.
In the Republican primary for Post 2 Commissioner, Incumbent Glenn Patterson was challenged by Greg Staffins, Larry Sosebee, and Anita Weaver. Patterson won the Republican primary for Post 2 Commissioner, and will face the lone Democratic candidate, Larry Syputa, during the November 2022 general election.
Glenn Patterson received a total of 3,500 votes across all 12 voting precincts, early votes, and absentee ballots. Larry Syputa received a total of 455 votes in his primary.
Board of Education
Bearden will remain on the Fannin County Board of Education after winning his primary.
Mike Cole is the incumbent Vice Chair on the Board of Education.
The incumbent, Bobby Bearden, was challenged by Debi Holcomb and Clarence “Junior” Farmer in the Republican primary. Bearden won his primary with a total of 3,690 votes across 12 voting precincts, early votes, and absentee ballots.
Incumbent Mike Cole will also return to the Fannin County Board of Education after an uncontested re-election bid. Cole has served on the board since he was elected in 2018. He received a total of 5,011 votes.
Full election results can be found here.
An interview with Post 2 Commissioner candidate Larry Sosebee
Board of Commissioners, Election May 22, 2022
FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — Larry Sosebee is a candidate for the Post 2 seat on the Fannin County Board of Commissioners. He joins Anita Weaver and Greg Staffins in a primary challenge against the incumbent Post 2 Commissioner, Glenn Patterson. Sosebee has served as a Fannin County commissioner before, and told FYN “The knowledge that I’ve got, that I could bring back to the board, from what I had in the past would be substantial to them.”
Larry Sosebee has been in the Fannin County community for 68 years and has run a business in the area for over three decades. He also said he was involved with the community before elections began and is active with people who need help with anything.
Touching on his previous eight year tenure on the board, Sosebee noted a few of the projects accomplished during that time. He mentioned establishing the Fannin County Water Authority, paying off the recreation department, constructing turn lanes at Mercier and Highway 2. He also said the board worked to get Pulse Medical and Walmart brought into the county, while also keeping the county’s budget one of the lowest in the state. These achievements, Sosebee noted, were not made by a single commissioner: “We didn’t do it single-handily, I say we because it takes a board to do it.” He also briefly discussed intergovernmental agreements, saying “you’ve got some good people on these boards that like to work together.”
Sosebee also discussed the state of Fannin County’s economy. “I think we’re in a good place where we’re at right now,” he said. He cited the “enormous” amounts of special-purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) funding that the county receives. Additionally, Sosebee compared the increase in the county budget since his time in office, “We had a budget of 17 million, I believe it was. Now it’s somewhere in the 30-31 million range. Yeah, Fannin County is in a very good place right now.”
Despite the increase in revenue, and expenditures, Sosebee said some aspects of the board’s budget need to be changed. He specifically mentioned the Fannin County Public Works, who are responsible for the county’s roads. Sosebee said the department is receiving large amounts of SPLOST funding, but he suggested that the department can be wasteful and inefficient with its spending. Further, Sosebee criticized large purchases of “pretty toys” that sit unused. He provided his own experience as an example, saying his area is often ignored by mowers. “There’s more to it than mowing up on and Aska and around the lavish places,” Sosebee said.
Sosebee also said he believes the commissioners could do a better job involving the community with its work. “I think they reach out to the community for very little. They make their decisions behind closed doors,” Sosebee then cited the recent agreement between the Board of Education and the commissioners that will bring a stand-alone library to Fannin County. “The community needs to be more informed on what’s going on, because its their money,” he said. He contrasted the current practices of the board with his own experience, adding “we didn’t buy anything into any significant amount unless the public was notified.”
He also discussed rental unit issues in the county and the impact they have on housing affordability. Sosebee did mention a recent change to license fees but said “they should have went up to about $1000 on it.” The issue of housing affordability carries into workforce issues, as Sosebee noted. “We just don’t have enough employees,” he said. Touching on public safety, Sosebee said there are not enough deputies in the county, and those the county employees are underpaid. Similarly, he said firefighters are well underpaid: “The volunteers are quitting everyday because they can’t get their pay.” Sosebee added that despite the county’s first responders being underpaid, especially for the time and work they put in, “Fannin County’s got some of the best EMTs and firefighters, that I say, in the state of Georgia.”
Again touching on his past experience, Soseebee said “I was always for the working man and the people that was in the area. They were welcomed by me, and I just want them to remember me as someone they could rely on and come to if they need to.” If elected to serve as a commissioner again, Sosebee said “I’d like to be more vocal. I was always the quiet one.” He added, “Knowing what I know now, I’d be more vocal and more involved in various things that’s going on in the county.”
The Post 2 Commissioner seat is currently held by Glenn Patterson. The Republican primary election on May 24, 2022 will include Glenn Patterson, Anita Weaver, Greg Staffins, and Larry Sosebee. The winner of the primary will face the only Democrat candidate, Larry Syputa, this November. More information about the election on May 24, 2022 can be found here or at the Fannin County Board of Elections website. FYN made an effort to contact every candidate, but we were ultimately unable to speak with Anita Weaver.
An interview with Post 2 Commissioner candidate Greg Staffins
Board of Commissioners, Election May 18, 2022
FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — Greg Staffins is a Fannin County Post 2 Commissioner candidate. He joins Anita Weaver and Larry Sosebee in a primary challenge against the incumbent Post 2 Commissioner, Glenn Patterson. During an interview, Staffins discussed his candidacy and goals for the county. “If I come elected, then I’ll sure fight everyday for the citizens and putting Fannin first, and I’ll do that with all my heart,” he told FYN.
Greg Staffins is a businessman in Fannin County. He is also a member of the Fannin County Republican Party, and Staffins says he’s been a member since he moved to the area 12 years ago.
Staffins said many people, who believed his experience as a businessman would make him a good commissioner, encouraged him to run for the position. He also mentioned his applicable experience working with the city of Loganville, Ga. Staffins noted that he has been endorsed by Loganville’s mayor.
As a commissioner, Staffins is “all about putting Fannin County first, and putting first everything we do.” He believes the county is ready for change “in a big way,” mentioning that the five candidates all hoping to serve is evidence of that.
Staffins raised several issues he wants to find a solution for. One that he emphasized was the county’s lacking trash services. Staffins suggested utilizing space at fire stations to provide some remedy to the trash issues, “each one of the parking lots sits empty, we can simply put dumpsters.” He also mentioned the similar need for recycling services.
Staffins also stressed the importance of strengthening Fannin County’s police and fire departments. Those departments, he said, are “overrun with tourists on the weekends.” He highlighted that the population of the county almost doubles during weekends, saying: “We definitely need some help for getting those guys additional trucks, cars, and staff and be able to pay them what they’re worth.”
Another issue Staffins touched on was the lack of an aquatic center in the county. “We need that in a large way. We don’t have anything in the winter water-wise, swim-wise to do,” he said. Staffins added that despite the recent agreement to revitalize the city park’s pool, it is outdoors and can only be used during a small portion of the year. He argued in favor of an aquatic center as a solution, saying “we need something that can be used 12 months out of the year.” Staffins briefly mentioned that an aquatic center would be more accessible to the seniors of the county.
Staffins also stressed financial responsibility and warned against “frivolous mistakes with tax payer money.” As an example, he cited the purchase of the Whitepath building. Staffins said the building was bought “without having an inspection, and Patterson made the motion to buy it.” He noted the cost of the building was over one million dollars. After the building was purchased, a hazardous materials survey showed the presence of asbestos and lead paint.
Continuing a push for financial responsibility, Staffins discussed the current state of the tourism industry in Fannin County. He said hundreds of rental units throughout the county are bringing in millions of dollars in revenue: “I want to see that money spent wisely. I want to see that money go back to the taxpayer and the citizens’ usage.” Staffins suggested that increase in funding could be used to complete projects that would benefit locals and improve the quality of life in Fannin County.
He also explained he sees room for improvement of community involvement with the board. Staffins criticized the current policy for public comment at board meetings. He also raised concerns about a recent agreement with the Fannin County Board of Education that will bring a standalone library, saying “I want to make sure that the citizens are happy with that library solution.” He warned against the agreement that he said was done “without a person on the library board in their presence.” Staffins continued, “I think that when you make decisions, you need to include everybody involved.”
When asked what he wants voters to remember, Staffins said “I won’t let you down, and I won’t waste one penny of the money, and I’ll make sure that Fannin County is put first in everything we do.”
The Post 2 Commissioner seat is currently held by Glenn Patterson. The Republican primary election on May 24, 2022 will include Glenn Patterson, Anita Weaver, Greg Staffins, and Larry Sosebee. The winner of the primary will face the only Democrat candidate, Larry Syputa, this November. More information about the election on May 24, 2022 can be found here or at the Fannin County Board of Elections website. FYN made an effort to contact every candidate, but we were ultimately unable to speak with Anita Weaver.
An interview with Post 2 Commissioner candidate Larry Syputa
Board of Commissioners, Election May 18, 2022
FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — Larry Syputa is the only Democrat running for the Post 2 Commissioner seat on the Fannin County Board of Commissioners. The Republican primary has four candidates, and the winner will run against Syputa during the November 2022 election. Syputa spoke with FYN about his candidacy, which he says will “offer a different perspective, an opportunity to have somebody on the board that will give a new outlook.”
Larry Syputa is not from Fannin County, but he grew up fishing and hunting in the North Georgia area. He has worked as a sheet metal mechanic and settled in Suches with his wife after traveling the country.
Syputa said his run for the board was prompted by indifferent government action leaving things like how they have been and not creating positive change. Syputa raised the county’s budget as an example. While he thinks the current commissioners manage the money well, he adds: “Maybe a little bit too much so. We have built up quite a large fund, millions of dollars, that could be used for some of the ideas I’ve mentioned.” Syputa suggested that the money already saved by the county could be used to fund beneficial county projects without a tax hike.
Syputa highlighted several ideas that he would like to bring to fruition as a commissioner. One he focused on was the preservation of Fannin as a rural county: “I’d just like to see the county continue to be rural, and we can have that because we have so much national land around that’s not going to get developed. But, the other side is that we need to be cautious how we do continue to develop the land that is available.”
Syputa noted the lack of zoning ordinances at the county level. Creating zoning ordinances to protect the rural areas from overdevelopment is something Syputa said he would be open to. “I still believe in property rights. I believe that people have the right to do with their property pretty much as they want unless it infringes on somebody else,” Syputa added. He also gave the example of increased erosion caused by clear cut lots: “Cutting trees without considering effects like erosion is something that needs to be handled.” He similarly mentioned chemical herbicides currently used by electric companies on roadsides as a negative impact on the environment.
In addition to preserving Fannin’s natural beauty, Syputa said he would like to see expanded accessibility to the natural attractions of the area. Adding bike lanes to county roads is one idea he floated. He also mentioned inadequate parking in many places that can lead to road blockages.
Currently, many forms of alcohol sales are restricted to the city limits. Syputa said he would like for Fannin County to become “wet” and have beer and wine access expanded throughout the county. “We’ve got a lot of service stations and small markets that would love to have, I talked to quite a few of them, would love to have a beer and wine sales. It would keep our people from driving long distances,” he added. Syputa noted that allowing sales countywide would keep more people, both locals and tourists, inside Fannin County.
Continuing the discussion of tourists, Syputa said he believes the county is balancing their needs and the needs of local residents well. “They generate a huge amount of resources to the local businesses,” he explained. He added that he doesn’t see the interests of residents and tourists as a conflict, but an “opportunity to utilize the resource, which is tourism, and expand on it.”
Increasing community involvement is something Syputa said could be done better. He noted that early evening meetings can make it difficult for people to attend. To expand accessibility to the commissioners’ work, Syputa suggested holding meetings later in the evening and potentially working with local cable companies to broadcast them.
Larry Syputa is the only Democrat running to be a commissioner in Fannin County. “As a lifelong Democrat,” Syputa told FYN, “I understand that this is a heavily Republican area, but I also understand that the people here go by who you are as a person. So, if I’m to be elected, I think that I’m middle road enough that I can work with anybody.” He noted that the county position is a “far cry” from national politics, “I don’t think that’s important as far as running the county goes. I think having a Democratic voice and perspective, a progressive perspective, is positive, and I think that’s positive for the county.”
The Post 2 Commissioner seat is currently held by Glenn Patterson. The Republican primary election on May 24, 2022 will include Glenn Patterson, Anita Weaver, Greg Staffins, and Larry Sosebee. The winner of the primary will face the only Democrat candidate, Larry Syputa, this November. More information about the election on May 24, 2022 can be found here or at the Fannin County Board of Elections website. FYN made an effort to contact every candidate, but we were ultimately unable to speak with Anita Weaver.
An interview with Post 2 Commissioner candidate Glenn Patterson
Board of Commissioners, Election May 18, 2022
FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — Glenn Patterson is the incumbent Post 2 Commissioner for Fannin County. He is seeking re-election for a second term, and told FYN that he wants voters to remember “the things that I have done for them that are positive results in my three and a half years, and that I want to do more.” Patterson is facing a primary challenge from Republican candidates Anita Weaver, Larry Sosebee, and Greg Staffins.
Patterson said he is a member of several city groups. He noted his Christian faith and service as the Vice Chair of the Fannin Christian Learning Center Board. He is a board member of the Fannin County Sports Hall of Fame which is a group that “just celebrates the people from Fannin County that have excelled in various sporting activities.” Patterson also holds a specialist degree in education and has worked 32 years in the education field. In Fannin County, Patterson said he has worked as a teacher, coach, and administrator.
Community involvement is important to Patterson, and he said serving as a commissioner has allowed him to give back to the community and the people that have helped him grow up and kept him looking in the right direction. “I love Fannin County. I love its citizens. I think we’ve got a fine group of citizens, and even as we grow and move forward it’s just a good place to live and grow up,” Patterson added.
When asked about his accomplishments as a commissioner, Patterson pointed to recent “unprecedented” intergovernmental agreements. One agreement with the Fannin County Board of Education will bring a stand-alone library to the county, which he notes has been worked on for many years. Another agreement with the City of Blue Ridge, Patterson explained, will revitalize the city pool and other recreational areas. He said making these intergovernmental agreements takes unity and reaching out in faith and trust. “Unity and partnerships brought together, and I’m real proud of that because we are so much stronger, and we’re able to achieve the goals for our citizenry within Fannin County when we work together,” Patterson added.
“I think we’re all very conscious of being good stewards to the citizens’ money,” Patterson said about the Board of Commissioners. He also said he is proud of the county’s millage rate, which he noted is one of the lowest in the state. When it comes to collecting revenue and approving expenditures, Patterson said, “We don’t want to overtax our citizens, but we want to give them the things that they need.” He used the upcoming improvements to the Fannin County Recreation Complex at Blue Ridge City Park as an example, saying the initial expenditures will ultimately help the local economy.
When balancing the needs of tourists and residents in Fannin County, Patterson first said “you’ve always got to remember your citizens.” He said much of the revenue brought in by tourists is used to reinvest in the community. “A lot of it is not tangible things,” Patterson noted, “It’s things like our police department, our public safety, our fire and rescue, our 911. All these things that we need to protect our citizens that are here 24/7 everyday.”
Patterson said he likes to interact with the citizens and believes it is a “very important thing, to stay in touch with the citizens. Because it’s easy to not do that, to just think that you as a commissioner know more than anybody else.” He noted he does this by communicating directly through calls and emails, but also by holding a public comment portion of each meeting. “You can’t let your ego get in the way of true communication with the citizens of Fannin County,” Patterson added. Being open to new ideas and listening to concerns is something Patterson said he puts effort into: “It’s not what I want. It’s what the citizens of Fannin County need, and I’ve got to seek that out.”
The Post 2 Commissioner seat is currently held by Glenn Patterson. The Republican primary election on May 24, 2022 will include Glenn Patterson, Anita Weaver, Greg Staffins, and Larry Sosebee. The winner of the primary will face the only Democrat candidate, Larry Syputa, this November. More information about the election on May 24, 2022 can be found here or at the Fannin County Board of Elections website. FYN made an effort to contact every candidate, but we were ultimately unable to speak with Anita Weaver.
An interview with Board of Education candidate Mike Cole
Board of Education, Election May 16, 2022
FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — Mike Cole is the current Vice Chair of the Fannin County Board of Education. His seat is uncontested, but he spoke with FYN to discuss his time on the board and goals for the future.
Mike Cole said his experiences as a member of the community initially led him to run for the board. He first mentioned that when taking his daughter to school he saw “lack in some areas, waste in other areas.” Cole also owns an automotive repair shop that he said needed employees. He believed the lack of workers in the area was a sign the school system did not have strong vocational education.
Since being elected, Cole said the board has accomplished many things, especially for vocational education. He highlighted a now established “state-of-the-art” welding program. Cole noted that an automotive teacher is already teaching and should have a full facility completed and ready for students by 2024. Along with construction, health and sports medicine programs in Fannin County schools, Cole said “I came in wanting to get the vocational up and get it moving again, and I believe we’ve done that.”
Cole told FYN that the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of mental health care in the school system. He said, while many people are unaware, the schools in the county have resources to help students struggling with mental health issues, such as anxiety. To inform community members about the resources available within Fannin County schools, Cole said he has worked to get Shannon Miller, the Director of Student Services, to speak at a Republican Party meeting: “She’s got a fabulous team. They’re dealing with kids on a daily basis, and so I’m really proud of that, that were actually stepping in and taking a lead on that.”
He also noted increases in special-purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) funding, “In the last 12 months we’ve got nine million dollars, so we’ve put that to work.” Specifically, Cole mentioned a new, fully paid for bus facility that is under construction. He also said the board is considering plans to create a wellness center on 160 acres of land that the board purchased: “That wellness center will incorporate, hopefully, several different other aspects as far as sports.” Cole said the center would include dedicated wrestling spaces, as well as baseball and softball fields. The wellness center, he noted, would also expand access to vocational facilities that currently don’t have space in the schools.
When it comes to involving parents and teachers with his work on the board, Cole emphasized communication. He said during school visits he asks the teachers what their “needs, wants, and desires” are. To interact with parents, Cole says “I’m always trying to visit all these sports programs, FFA, wherever I can be a part of.” He also mentioned his recent participation in a nature trail walk with the middle school that allowed him to interact with parents.
Discussing possible improvements that could be made in his next term, Cole mentioned that he would like to see pay increases that would make janitor and lunch workers’ income competitive in the community. As far as curriculum, Cole said he is “well satisfied” with where the school system is now. He suggested that concerns over controversial issues, like Critical Race Theory, often come from national media. On a local level, however, Cole said: “It’s my knowledge that’s not being taught here at all. It’s not in our curriculum. The only thing we’re required to teach is Georgia Standards, and that’s what we teach.”
There are two board of education seats on the ballot this May, but only one seat is contested. Incumbent Bobby Bearden is being challenged by both Debi Holcomb and Clarence “Junior” Farmer. Incumbent Mike Cole, however, has no challengers. More information about the election on May 24, 2022 can be found here or on the Fannin County Board of Elections website.
An interview with Board of Education candidate Clarence Farmer
Board of Education, Election May 11, 2022
FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — Clarence “Junior” Farmer is one of two candidates hoping to succeed the incumbent, Bobby Bearden, on the Fannin County Board of Education this year. Farmer, who has served on the board previously, was absent from a recent candidates forum due to a spinal surgery. Although he is still recovering, Farmer briefly spoke with FYN about his election bid.
Farmer, born and raised in Fannin County, emphasized his previous experience on the board. During his tenure, Farmer said he visited the Fannin County schools every month and talked to the teachers who worked there. “I’m for good schools, good education, and high graduation rate,” Farmer said, adding that the graduation rate had increased during his time on the board. He also noted that, when he was a member, the board worked to build a new football stadium and bring a college campus to the county. The campus was ultimately built in Ellijay, but Farmer said he advocated for Fannin County during the process.
Farmer also stressed vocational education as something the county needs. “There’s a lot of kids that can’t go to college, and they can go to a vocational school,” he said. Farmer, who attended a vocational school himself, said that they can provide opportunity to underserved communities. He cited education in plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work as jobs that students can be prepared for with vocational education. “Vocational school would help this county a whole lot,” he added.
He also noted his involvement with students during his previous tenure: “I worked with the kids and everything, and I attended every football game for four years, except four games.” Farmer said he attended just about every basketball, softball, baseball, and soccer game as well.
He made clear that his community involvement didn’t stop with students, “I was there for the parents, and they knew it too.” Similarly, he mentioned his open communication with Fannin County teachers. “I think the teachers right now are doing a good job, I really do,” Farmer said, adding “I talked to a lot of teachers when I was on the board, and they appreciate that.” As a board member, Farmer said he’d like to see all five members work together to help the people of the county.
When asked what he wants voters to remember about him, Farmer replied, “I want them to remember me as the peoples’ candidate. I hope they choose me as their choice, and if they do I’ll work with the parents, teachers, administrators, and I’ll work with them anyway I can, help them anyway I can.”
There are two board of education seats on the ballot this May, but only one seat is contested. Incumbent Bobby Bearden is being challenged by both Debi Holcomb and Clarence “Junior” Farmer. More information about the election on May 24, 2022 can be found here or at the Fannin County Board of Elections website.
An interview with Board of Education candidate Bobby Bearden
Board of Education, Election May 11, 2022
FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — Bobby Bearden has served on the Fannin County Board of Education for almost twenty years. “There’s two priorities that I have. Number one is the students. I want a quality education. Number two is the taxpayers and the citizens of Fannin County,” he told FYN during an interview discussing his re-election bid. Bearden is the incumbent candidate but is facing a challenge from both Debi Holcomb and Clarence “Junior” Farmer.
Bobby Bearden has lived in Fannin County for 48 years and currently works for the City of Blue Ridge. He has also served in the US Army, and he ran Bearden’s Muffler Shop for over thirty years. Now, Bearden is finishing his twentieth year working on the Board of Education. “Education, to me, is number one,” he said, adding, “not just for them to go to school, but I want them to get a quality education while they’re there, and I believe they’re doing that.”
Bearden said the board has made many accomplishments during his twenty year tenure. He specifically mentioned the updates and renovations that have been made to several buildings throughout the county. He also touched on the expansion of vocational education in the county during his time on the board. While they have already established a welding class and nursing program at the high school, Bearden said he would like to see an auto-mechanics and small engine class created. He believes those classes will expand opportunity for Fannin County students: “Not everybody that goes through school is going to go to college, and they need something to do.”
Another accomplishment, Bearden noted, is the purchase of 160 acres to be utilized by the school system, “It’s a tremendous thing, I think, that we was able to purchase that land next to the high school for future use.” He said the board will begin conversations on how to use the property this month.
Bearden, responding to criticism of the board’s transparency with the community, said “I think we are. The only thing that we can’t put out in public is what happens in executive session.” He said most people are aware of what is happening, especially because of online options that allow parents to see how their children are doing in school. “That’s one thing that I can tell you that I’m 110% for, is transparency,” Bearden added, “That’s how the school board and the school system and the community gets along.”
Bearden said he believes the school board does work well together and with the community as a whole: “We don’t all agree, but when it comes down to it, we agree for the good of the school.” That cooperation allows them to accomplish things like pay raises for employees, he emphasized: “They deserve it, all the people that work for us. Whether it be a custodian, a bus driver, a school teacher or whatever, they deserve all the money that they can get.” Bearden also said that the board has worked to decrease the millage rate over the last five years and has used special-purpose local-option sales tax (SPLOST) funding to remodel the school buildings.
He also touched on state and federal government influence in Fannin County schools, which was a topic at a recent candidates forum. Bearden said that while “there’s certain things that you have to abide by,” being a charter system allows “more control over what happens at all of our five schools.” He also noted that there is a School Governance Team (SGT) at each school that meets to discuss the schools’ needs. “They know exactly what the school needs and the people in Atlanta don’t,” Bearden emphasized.
There are two board of education seats on the ballot this May, but only one seat is contested. Incumbent Bobby Bearden is being challenged by both Debi Holcomb and Clarence “Junior” Farmer. More information about the election on May 24, 2022 can be found here or the Fannin County Board of Elections website.
An interview with Board of Education candidate Debi Holcomb
Board of Education, Election May 11, 2022
FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — Debi Holcomb is one of two candidates challenging the incumbent, Bobby Bearden, for a seat on the Fannin County Board of Education this year. Holcomb, who is legally blind, spoke with FYN about her election bid, saying “it doesn’t take eye sight to have a vision, and I have a vision for a better Fannin County school system.”
Holcomb, who moved to Blue Ridge in 2005, said community involvement is important to her. She currently volunteers at Fannin County Animal Control and serves as a trustee on the Fannin County Library Board. She was also appointed to the Comprehensive Plan Planning Committee, where she served her term. Holcomb also noted that she started, and now chairs, a peer support group for visually impaired North Georgians.
Holcomb said she has always had interest in education because of her six children and five grandchildren, but her work as a reporter for the Fannin Sentinel made her more familiar with the school board. As she became more involved, Holcomb said she “became concerned about the time that the Board of Education stopped having public workshops, and started doing things not quite out in the open.” On a national level, Holcomb said that conversations about critical race theory and gender identification concerned her as well.
Holcomb also touched on drug usage and other misbehavior within the school system. “Of course education starts at home,” Holcomb said, “In our community we know the poverty level that’s kinda hid, and we know that not all home circumstances are the best.” When it becomes a reoccurring problem in the school system, however, she said the school board has a responsibility to review policies that are not working well: “Our job is to protect the children, and how can we protect the children if we’re turning our backs and ignoring what’s going on.” When it comes to reviewing those board and school policies, Holcomb said she would like to look at all of them, and have more discussion with both teachers and parents. Holcomb said she was floored to find out that not every school has a guidance counselor, and some special education classes only have one teacher at a time. She noted those instances are examples of when a policy should be reviewed.
Holcomb said she had recently attended a meeting with the Georgia State Superintendent Richard Woods: “He informed us that, contrary to what parents have been told in an open meeting, that the curriculum is handled at the local level.” Because of this, Holcomb said, preventing inappropriate curriculum and school library books from entering Fannin County schools is the responsibility of the county’s school board. “I am afraid that the current board members treat their job as part time, show up for your meetings, collect your money, and go. I myself feel that schools need to be visited on a regular basis, somebody needs to be monitoring exactly what’s being taught,” she emphasized.
She argued that the school system’s budget could be used in a way that better serves the students: “I know there are issues. Water issues, mold issues in the elementary schools. So, I don’t understand why we are doing a multimillion dollar bus and admin building with those SPLOST dollars instead of taking care of existing problems where our students are actually at.” Holcomb also noted that she had recently learned Fannin County shares a portion of its revenue with poorer counties. Holcomb said she would look at where the money is being sent and talk with the state government to see if that amount could be reduced.
When it comes to teachers, Holcomb believes that more communication and board involvement is important. “Right now, I don’t think that most of our school faculty feel that the board even listens, and I want to be one that they know is going to listen,” she said.
There are two board of education seats on the ballot this May, but only one seat is contested. Incumbent Bobby Bearden is being challenged by both Debi Holcomb and Clarence “Junior” Farmer. More information about the election on May 24, 2022 can be found here or at the Fannin County Board of Elections website.
Voter Registration Deadline is April 25
Board of Elections, Election April 25, 2022
FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — April 25, 2022 is the last day for Fannin County voters to register for the General Primary Election, Nonpartisan General Election and Special Election on May 24, 2022.
The ballot will include two seats on the Fannin County Board of Education and the Post 2 Commissioner seat on the Fannin County Board of Education. FYN has more information on qualified candidates that can be found here.
The Georgia Secretary of State’s office has information about qualified candidates and voter registration.
The Fannin County Board of Elections also has information about voting precincts in the county, as well as ballot information.